I 


UNITED  STATES  AND  MEXICAN 


MAIL  STEAMSHIP  LINE, 


AND 


STATISTICS  OF  MEXICO. 


BY 


CARLOS    BUTTERFIELD, 


December,  18  59. 


NEW  YORK: 

J.  A.  H.  HASBROUCK  &  CO.,  PRINTERS, 
174  Sf  176  Pearl  Street. 


1860. 


/•• 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  yrar  1859;  by  CARLOS  BUTTERFIELD,  in  the  Clerk  : 
Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  for  the  Southern  District  of  N'ew  York. 


PREFACE. 


ONE  year  ago  the  Subscriber  issued  a  Pamphlet,  the  object  of 
which  was  to  bring  before  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  certain 
facts  having  a  direct  bearing  upon  his  proposed  line  of  Mail  Steamers 
from  New  Orleans  or  Mobile  to  Mexican  ports  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico, 
and  in  support  of  his  application  to  the  Government  of  the  United 
States  for  such  reasonable  compensation,  in  view  of  the  mail  service 
to  be  performed,  as  would  justify  him  in  establishing  said  line  of 
Mail  Steamers. 

Since  the  period  referred  to,  important  changes  in  Mexico,  and  im 
portant  changes  in  our  relations  with  that  country  have  taken  place. 
The  Mexican  question  is  rapidly  becoming  the  leading  question  in  our 
national  politics,  and  in  again  bringing  the  subject  of  the  proposed 
line  of  United  States  and  Mexican  Mail  Steamships  before  the  Congress 
of  the  United  States,  the  subscriber  has  been  induced  to  issue  a  pub 
lication  having  the  same  end  in  view  as  his  previous  pamphlet,  and 
which,  in  addition,  will  give  to  the  public,  such  general  information  and 
facts  as  will  be  likely  to  lead  to  a  better  understanding  as  to  the 
importance  of  inaugurating  a  new  commercial  system  or  policy,  not 
only  with  Mexico  but  with  all  the  Spanish  American  countries. 

The  particular  enterprise  herein  proposed,  is  considered  the  first 
and  most  important  step  on  the  part  of  private  individuals,  towards 
acquiring  those  vast  commercial  advantages  with  Mexico,  which  only 
await  our  action  in  the  premises. 

CARLOS  BUTTEEFIELD. 


CONTENTS. 

Pago 

PREFACE,. ^ 

General  Remarks, 7 

Preliminary  Arrangements  by  General  Gadsden, 

Liberality  of  Mexican  Government, 9 

Delay  in  Postal  Arrangements, 9 

Postal  Contract  concluded  with  Mexico,  6th  December,  1857, _?_, 

Terms  of  the  Contracts, 10 

Mexico  to  pay  $120,000  per  Annum, 10 

Table  showing  the  route  of  the  proposed  Steamers  and  the  Ports  at  which  they 

are  to  touch, H 

Proposed  dates  of  departure  of  the  Steamers,  time  of  their  voyages,  &c 11 

Kind  of  Steamers  required  for  this  service, 12 

Peculiarities  of  the  route, -- 12 

Degree  of  benefits  to  be  enjoyed  by  the  United  States, 13 

Subject  brought  before  35th  Congress, 13 

Reception  of  the  propositions  by  Congress, 14 

Cause  of  the  failure  of  an  appropriation  in  35th  Congress, 14 

Present  position  of  our  commerce  with  Mexico,  and  necessity  for  steam  com 
munication,  15 

Commercial  transactions  between  Mexico  and  the  United  States, 16 

Do.                do.              do.          do.     and  Great  Britain, 16 

Our  exports  to  Mexico  for  the  year  ending  September  3, 1858, 16 

Commercial  exchanges  between  Mexico  and  United  States  in  1835, 16 

Total  value  of  the  Imports  and  Exports  of  Mexico  at  the  present  time, 17 

England  monopolizes  the  trade  of  Mexico, 17 

England  has  acquired  these  advantages  through  her  sagacious  policy  of  sup 
porting  lines  of  Steamers, 18 

Table  of  the  commerce  of  Vera  Cruz, 17 

Effects  of  Steam  communication  upon  the  commerce  of  Great  Britain, 18 

Table  showing  the  value  of  British  manufactures,  &c., exported  to  the  United 

States,  from  1800  to  1856, 20 

Result  of  Steam  communication  between  Great  Britain  and  United  States, 21 

Annual  gain  to  Great  Britain  since  the  introduction  of  steam, 22 

Cost  of  Steam  Mail  Lines, 23 

Total  trade  of  Great  Britain  with  North  and  South  America, 23 

Increase  of  commerce  universal  when  Steam  communication  is  introduced, 24 

English  Steam  communication  to  the  west  coast  of  Africa,  exports,  &c 25 

British  exports  to  China,  Egypt  and  India  before  and  after  the  subsidy  of  Steam 

Mail  Lines, 25 

Policy  of  the  United  States  with  reference  to  Mexico  and  other  Spanish  Ameri 
can  countries,  26 

Who  controls  the  commerce  of  Mexico,  and  why,   27 

Protection  of  the  English  Government  to  its  commerce  with  Mexico, 28 

Shipments  of  Silver  from  Mexico, 29 


Q  CONTENTS. 

P*tx. 

Distances  from  Vera  Cruz  to  N.  Y.  and  to  England  by  the  various  routes, 30 

Eii'ect  to  be  produced  by  the  silver  of  Mexico, 31 

Commerce  of  the  Spanish  A  merican  countries  on  this  continent, 33 

Table  showing  the  population,  area,  and  average  density  of  population  to  the 

square  mile  of  the  principal  countries  of  this  continent, 33 

Table  showing  the  foreign  commerce  of  the  principal  countries  on  this  conti 
nent,  &c.,  &c., 35 

Per  capita  imports  of  Mexico,  Cuba,  &<?. 37 

Table  showing  the  commerce  of  the  principal  countries  on  this  continent  with 

the  United  States,  for  the  year  ending  June  30th,  1858, 38 

Entire  absence  of  steam  communication  between  the  United  States  and  the 

Spanish  American  countries, 40 

Report  of  Post  Office  committee,  House  of  Rep.,  on  the  subject  of  S.  S.  lines  to 

the  W.  Indies  and  Brazil, 44 

Elaborateness  of  the  English  Steam  Packet  system  to  Spanish  America, 45 

Ramifications  of  the  English  Steamers, 47 

English  steamers  run  to  over  60  different  Spanish  American  ports, 48 

Increase  of  our  Trade  with  Cuba  since  steam  communication 50 

Basis  for  an  increase  of  Trade  with  Mexico 51 

Trade  of  Mexico  in  cotton  goods  might  be  controlled  by  New  England, 53 

Letter  from  our  consul  at  Tampico, 55 

Importance  of  the  trade  of  Tampico  and  Vera  Cruz, 56 

Capacity  of  Mexico  to  sustain  a  large  foreign  commerce, 58 

Interior  commerce  of  Mexico, 62 

Value  of  real  estate, 63 

Manufactures, - 63 

Mineral  productions, 63 

Agriculture, 64 

Views  of  business  men  in  reference  to  communication  with  Mexico, 67 

General  effect  upon  trade  in  the  United  States  of  the  full  opening  of  Mexico  to 

our  commerce, 69 

The  United  States  can  establish  a  large  entrepot  trade  with  Mexico, 71 

Table  of  goods,  the  produce  of  the  United  States,  imported  into  Mexico  from  the 

United  States  in  the  year  1857, 72 

Table  of  produce  of  Foreign  countries  imported  into  Mexico  from  U.  S.  in  1857 . .  73 

Table  of  goods  imported  into  the  United  States  from  Mexico  in  1857, 74 

Desire  of  Mexico  for  increased  communication  with  the  United  States 76 

Reasons  why  the  United  States  government  should  support  the  proposed  line, . .  77 

Remarks  of  senator  Ward  of  Texas, 79 

Remarks  of  senator  Fitzpatrick  of  Alabama, 81 

Remarks  of  senator  Shields  of  Minnesota, 83 

Remarks  of  senator  Wilson  of  Massachusetts, _ 86 

Remarks  of  senator  Benjamin  of  Louisiana, 87 

Contest  between  Senate  and  House,  and  loss  of  Appropriation  bill, 89 

Report  of  Post  Office  committee  at  last  session, 90 

Letter  of    Postmaster-General, 94 

Memorial  of  the  merchants  of  Vera  Cruz 98 

Letter  from  the  United  States  consul  at  Tampico • 102 

Memorial  of  the  merchants  of  Tampico 105 

Letter  from  consul  at  Minatitlan, 107 

Conclusion, .109 


UNITED  STATES  AND  MEXICAN 

MAIL   STEAM   SHIP   LINE. 


§  1.  FROM  a  long  residence  in  the  Republic  of  Mexico, 
and  an  intimate  acquaintance  with  its  commercial  and 
other  resources,  the  undersigned  has  for  many  years 
been  deeply  impressed  with  the  importance  of  opening 
direct  and  regular  communication  by  steam,  between 
the  United  States  and  the  several  Mexican  ports  em 
braced  within  the  circuit  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

To  this  end,  he  early  conceived  the  idea  of  the  estab 
lishment  of  a  regular  weekly  line  of  Steam  Ships  from 
New  Orleans  or  Mobile  to  the  several  Mexican  ports  of 
the  Gulf,  making  the  entire  circuit  thereof,  for  the  pur 
pose  of  mail  service. 

Impelled^solelV  by  his  convictions  of  the  great  public 

\    y .  .  .    ' — ~ — r~ 

needof  this-service,  as  forming  the  basis  of  most  im 
portant  developments  in  the  commerce  between  the  two 
countries,  the  undersigned  first  brought  the  subject  to 


8 

the  consideration  of  the  two  Governments  as  an  enter 
prise  which  should  be  carried  out  by  Government  action 
alone ;  but  finding  such  course  would  not  be  consistent 
with  the  policy  of  the  two  countries,  he  was  then  in 
duced,  from  his  sense  of  the  importance  of  the  proposed 
line  of  communication,  to  undertake  its  establishment  as 
a  private  enterprise,  relying  upon  a  cordial  support  from 
the  two  Governments  in  the  way  of  reasonable  compen 
sation  for  the  transportation  of  mails. 

2.  The  vast  influence  which  the  establishment  of  full 
and  regular  steam  communication  would  have  in  divert 
ing  the  trade  of  Mexico  to  the  United  States,  and  in 
largely  stimulating  commercial  intercourse  between  the 
two  countries,  at  once  secured  for  the  proposed  enter 
prise  the  favorable  consideration  of  General  Gadsden, 
then  Minister  of  the  United  States  near  the  Government 
of  Mexico,  and  under  his  warm  approbation,  the  under 
signed  entered  upon  his  preliminary  arrangements  for 
the  establishment  of  the  line,  and  submitted  to  the  Mexi 
can  Government  the  conditions  of  a  contract  for  the  mail 
service,  subject  to  the  terms  of  a  postal  convention  which 
General  Gadsden  succeeded  in  adjusting  for  signature. 

The  Mexican  Government,  fully  appreciating  the  ad 
vantages  which  would  also  accrue  to  Mexico  from  the 
proposed  increase  of  facilities  for  intercourse  with  the 
United  States,  and  aware  of  the  difficulties  and  draw 
backs  which  those  who  undertook  the  establishment  of 
such  service  would  have  to  encounter  in  the  first  years  of 
the  enterprise,  before  the  spirit  of  trade  could  be  fully 
aroused  in  Mexico,  and  before  commerce  could  become 
fully  developed  along  the  proposed  line  of  communica- 


tion,  where  as  yet  so  little  activity  existed,  came  forward 
with  a  liberality  deserving  of  most  honorable  mention, 
and  received  the  propositions  of  the  undersigned  in  a  spirit 
evincing  not  only  a  cordial  appreciation  of  the  enterprise, 
and  a  willingness  to  unite  in  sustaining  it,  but  also  a 
sincere  desire  to  foster  and  encourage,  by  every  means  in 
its  power,  more  intimate  commercial  relations  with  the 
United  States. 

Owing,  however,  to  the  death  of  the  Minister  of 
Foreign  Relations,  Don  Louis  de  la  Rosa,  which  oc 
curred  at  this  time,  and  to  whose  department  the  busi 
ness  appertained,  these  proposals  lay  over,  and  were 
for  the  time  being  withdrawn. 

3.  Subsequently,  another  contract,  with  similar  con 
ditions  to  the  former,  was  presented  by  the  undersigned, 
and  was  accepted  by  the  Mexican  Government,  subject 
to  the  ratification  of   a  postal  convention,   which  Mr. 
Forsyth,with  equal  zeal  for  the  interests  of  his  country, 
had  again  succeeded  in  negotiating. 

This  postal  arrangement,  however,  not  having  been 
acted  upon  by  the  United  States,  the  desire  of  the  Mexi 
can  Government  to  secure  the  establishment  of  the  pro 
posed  international  enterprise  was,  for  the  time  being, 
frustrated. 

4.  In  nowise  discouraged  by  these  unforseen  results, 
the  undersigned  again  renewed  his  propositions  to  the 
Mexican  Government,  and  finally  arranged,  on  the  6th 
December,  1857,  a  new  and  untrammeled  contract  for  the 
exclusive  carriage  of  the  mails  around  the  circuit  of  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  to  and  from  the  United  States  ports 
of  New  Orleans  or  Mobile. 

2 


10 

Bj  the  terms  of  this  contract,  the  undersigned  under 
takes  to  place  in  service  a  line  of  steamers,  for  the  punc 
tual  performance  of  four  round  voyages  per  month, 
between  the  port  of  New  Orleans  or  Mobile,  and  the 
other  ports  of  the  Mexican  Gulf  described  in  said  con 
tract,  for  the  transportation  of  mails,  passengers  and 
freight:  one  half  of  the  number  of  said  steamers  to  be 
navigated  under  the  Mexican  flag,  as  national  vessels, 
enjoying  all  the  privileges  of  such  nationality ;  the 
other  half  to  be  navigated  under  the  flag  of  the  United 
States. 

For  the  service  to  be  rendered  by  these  steamers,  the 
Mexican  Government,  on  its  part,  stipulates  to  pay 
annually  the  sum  of  $120,000,  the  contract  to  continue 
for  ten  years  ;  and  the  service  to  commence  within  one 
year  from  date  of  contract. 

This  time  has  subsequently  been  extended  to  the 
year  1361. 

The  following  table  will  elucidate  more  particularly 
the  service  to  be  performed. 

See  also  the  various  maps  hereto  attached. 


11 


Table  showing  the  route  of  the  Steamers  of  the  United 
States  and  Mexican  Mail  Steam  Ship  Line,  and  the  vari 
ous  ports  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  at  which  they  are  to 
touch9  as  also  the  distances  between  the  said  ports. 


WINDWARD     ROUTE. 

Steamers  of  the  1st  and  16th  of  each  month. 


Distances  in 

miles  from 

port  to  port. 


Totals  from 

New    Orleans 

or  Mobile. 


From  New  Orleans  or  M  obile  to  Galveston 420 

"     Galveston  to  Matagorda 135 

u     Matagorda  to  Brazos  de  Santiago 195 

"     Brazos  de  Santiago  to  Tampico 240 

"     Tampico  to  Vera  Cruz 

"     Vera  Cruz  to  Coatzacoalcos 120 

"     Coatzacoalcos  to  Tabasco 130 

"     Tabasco  to  Laguna 48 

"     Laguna  to  Campeche .... ....  HO 

"     Campeche  to  Sisal 100 

"     Sisal  to  New  Orleans  or  Mobile 580 

Total 2298 

LEEWARD    ROUTE 

Steamers  of  the  8th  and  24th  of  each  month 

From  New  Orleans  or  Mobile  to  Sisal 580 

"     Sisal  to  Campeche 100 

"     Campeche  to  Laguna 110 

"     Laguna  to  Tabasco 48 

"     Tabasco  to  Coatzacoalcos 130 

"     Coatzacoalcos  to  Vera  Cruz 120 

"     Vera  Cruz  to  Tampico 220 

"     Tampico  to  Brazos  de  Santiago 240 

"     Brazos  (!e  Santiago  to  Matagorda  ..............  195 

"     Matagorda  to  Galveston 135 

"     Galveston  to  New  Orleans  or  Mobile 420 

Total..                           ..  2298 


420 

555 

750 

990 

1210 

1330 

1460 

1508 

1618 

1718 

2298 


580 

680 

790 

838 

968 

1088 

1308 

1548 

1743 

1878 

2298 


It  is  proposed  that  the  steamers  of  the  line  shall  leave 
the  port  of  New  Orleans,  or  Mobile,on  the  1st,  8th,  16th 
and  24th  of  each  month,  and  make  the  round  voyage, 
touching  at  all  the  above  enumerated  ports,  and  back,  in 
the  space  of  twelve  days  ;  including  detention  at  the  dif 
ferent  places  at  which  they  touch.  These  voyages,  it  is 
designed,  shall  be  alternated,  that  is  to  say :  the  steamers 


12 

of  the  1st  and  16th  of  the  month  will  take  the  windward 
route,  touching  first  at  Galveston,  and  pursuing  the  voy 
age  by  way  of  Matagorda,  Brazos  de  Santiago,  Tampico, 
Vera  Cruz,  Coatzacoalcos,  Tabasco,  Laguna,  Campeche> 
and  Sisal :  while  those  of  the  8th  and  24th  will  take  the 
leeward  route,  touching  first  at  Sisal,  and  pursuing  the 
voyage  by  way  of  Campeche,  Laguna,  Tabasco,  Coatza 
coalcos,  Vera  Cruz,  Tampico,  Brazos  de  Santiago,  Ma 
tagorda  and  Galveston — each  steamer  on  her  return 
meeting  the  outward  bound  steamer  on  the  opposite 
track. 

By  this  alternation  of  route  two  voyages  will  be  made 
each  way,  or  four  round  voyages  every  month. 

6.  For  the  service  proposed  as  above,  swift  and 
stanch  steamers  of  light  draught  are  required,  and  must 
be  built  with  special  qualifications  for  the  peculiar  and 
difficult  navigation  of  the  Gulf. 

The  emergencies  of  the  mail  service  also  require  a 
much  higher  rate  of  speed  than  would  be  justified  by  a 
purely  commercial  and  passenger  business  ;  and  it  is 
evident  that  to  maintain  the  voyages  of  the  line  within 
the  limited  time  allowed  for  the  round  trip,  and  with  the 
regularity  laid  down  in  the  preceding  schedule,  the  en 
terprise  must,  at  least  in  its  earlier  years,  depend  in  a 
great  measure  for  its  support  upon  the  aid  which  may  be 
accorded  to  it  by  the  Governments  of  the  two  countries, 
whose  revenues  are  to  be  benefited  by  the  increased  fa 
cilities  afforded  to  their  mutual  commerce. 

The  route  is  a  peculiar  one,  and  attended  with  great 
risk  and  expense  of  maintenance,  and  should  receive 
more  than  usual  support,  if  only  on  account  of  the  im- 


13 

portant  postal  facilities  which  it  will  supply,  where  now 
communication  is  either  altogether  impossible,  or  is  un- 
frequent,  difficult  and  irregular. 

7.  The  Mexican  Government  has  strongly  proved  its 
appreciation  of  the  value  of  the  enterprise  undertaken  by 
the  undersigned,  by  the  liberal  concession  which  it  has 
made  toward  the  establishment  and  support  of  the  line. 
But  in  making  this  concession,  the  Mexican  Government 
had  every  reason  to  suppose,  and  still  believes,  that,  as 
the  enterprise  is  one  of  an  international  character,  and  in 
view  of  the  entire  absence  of  mail  or  passenger  facilities 
over  the  route  traversed,  of  great  public  necessity,  as 
well  as  one  in  which  the  public  advantage  is  far  more 
apparent  than  the  opportunity  for  private  gain,  the  Gov 
ernment  of  the  United  States  would,  on  its  part,  also 
come  forward  and  manifest  a  proportionally  liberal  dis 
position  towards  its  support  and  encouragement. 

The  United  States,  it  is  evident,  will  enjoy  a  greater 
degree  of  benefit  than  Mexico  from  the  line,  on  account 
of  their  greater  population  and  wealth,  and  as  they  will 
unquestionably  always  maintain  a  balance  of  trade  largely 
in  their  favor,  they  will  consequently  receive  a  propor 
tionally  larger  increase  of  revenue,  and  are  thus  even 
more  directly  interested  than  Mexico  in  securing  its 
prompt  and  effective  establishment. 

The  undersigned  there  fore,  in  pursuance  of  his  desire 
to  secure  the  joint  support  and  encouragement  of  the 
Governments  of  the  two  countries,  brought  the  subject 
of  his  proposed  line  of  Mail  Steamers  in  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  to  the  consideration  of  the  last  Congress,  (35th 
Congress,  2d  session.)  and  asked  that  such  aid  be  granted 


14 

to  him  on  the  part  of  the  Goverment  of  the  United  States, 
bj  means  of  compensation  for  mail  service,  as  would 
justify  him  in  at  once  proceeding  to  the  effective  estab 
lishment  of  the  line. 

8.  The  Mexican   Government  counted   truly  on  the 
progressive  spirit  and  liberal  and  friendly  disposition  of 
the  United  States.     The  propositions  of  the  undersigned 
were  received  by  Congress,  and  by  the  public  at  large, 
with  a  degree  of  favor  that  could  only  have  been  elicited 
by  an  enterprise  that  was  felt  to  be  greatly  needed,  and 
that  was  in  a  direction  where  our  commerce  had  hitherto 
been  too  much  neglected.     This  was  manifested  by  the 
able  letter  of  the  Postmaster-General  to  the  Post  Office 
Committee  of  the  Senate,  upon  the  subject  of  the  pro 
posed  line,  by  the  favorable  report  of  that  Committee, 
and  by  the  almost  unanimous  vote  of  the  Senate  in  its 
support.     Public  sentiment  also,  as  expressed  generally 
in  the  press,  and  in  the  remarks  of  leading  Senators  and 
Representatives,  of  all  parties,  was  in  the  most  decided 
manner  in  favor  of  the  project.     In  fine,  both  the  conces 
sions  of  the  Mexican  Government  and  the  project  itself 
have   universally  drawn   forth   the   most  unmistakable 
evidences  of  approval  in   the    United    States,  and   the 
manifestation  of  a  desire  to  meet  the  spirited  advances 
of  Mexico  upon  the  basis  of  a  liberal  reciprocity. 

9.  The  contest  between  the  two  Houses  on  the  appro 
priation  bills,  however,  at  the   termination  of  the  last 
session,  caused  the  plans  of  the  undersigned  to  be  again 
delayed  and   forced  him   to   postpone  for  still  another 
year  the  consummation  of  the  enterprise  to  which  he 
has  so  long  and  so  assiduously  been  devoted. 


15 

That  consummation  he  trusts  is  only  delayed;  the 
establishment  of  the  line  now  only  awaits  the  favorable 
action  of  Congress.  The  undersigned  is  fully  prepared 
to  carry  out  his  important  undertaking  upon  the  sole 
responsibility  of  himself  and  associates,  whenever  he 
can  obtain  assurances  of  that  support  from  the  Govern 
ment  of  the  United  States  (in  addition  to  that  already 
granted  by  the  Government  of  Mexico)  which  is  due  not 
only  to  the  nature  of  the  service  to  be  performed,  the 
peculiar  value  of  the  new  channel  of  communication  to 
be  opened,  and  the  increased  revenue  which  will  be 
derived  from  the  large  and  important  trade  which  will  be 
built  up,  but  which  is  also  absolutely  necessary  to  secure 
the  establishment  of  the  line ;  for  without  this  additional 
support  the  enterprise  cannot  justly  or  wisely  be  entered 
upon  by  private  individuals. 

That  support  and  encouragement  he  doubts  not  will 
be  accorded  by  the  enlightened  Representatives  who 
compose  the  present  Congress. 

PRESENT    POSITION    OF    OUR    COMMERCE    WITH     MEXICO,    AND    NECES 
SITY    FOR    STEAM    COMMUNICATION. 

10.  In  considering  the  commercial  and  political  advan 
tages  that  will  accrue  to  the  United  States  from  the 
establishment  of  the  proposed  line  of  Mail  Steamers  to 
Mexico,  it  will  not  be  out  of  place  to  call  attention  to 
some  facts  connected  with  the  present  condition  of  our 
commerce  with  that  country ;  and  also  to  give  some 
data  illustrating  the  effect  which  increased  facilities  of 
Steam  Communication  have  had  upon  the  commerce  of 


16 

other  countries,  and  consequently  must  have  upon  that 
between  the  United  States  and  Mexico,  if  applied  thereto. 

These  statements  will  have  the  more  value  from  the 
fact,  that  the  question  of  our  relations  with  Mexico  is 
now  rapidly  becoming  one  of  absorbing  and  important 
interest  before  the  public  mind. 

11.  The  entire  commercial  transactions  between  Mexi 
co  and  the  United  States — notwithstanding  our  extraor 
dinary  advantages  of  geographical  position,  and  the 
extent  of  our  varied  manufactures  adapted  to  that  mar 
ket — do  not  now  reach,  according  to  the  most  recent 
data,  the  sum  of  $9,000,000  per  annum,  while  those 
between  Mexico  and  Great  Britain  amount  to  over 
$33,000.000  per  annum,  including  almost  the  entire 
specie  shipments  from  the  various  Mexican  ports.  Our 
exports  to  Mexico  for  the  year  ending  September  30th, 
1858,  were  but  $3,315,825. 

In  1835,  the  commercial  exchanges  between  Mexico 
and  the  United  States  were  upwards  of  $20,000,000. 
Since  that  period  our  trade  with  Mexico  has  constantly 
declined,  while  that  of  England  has  advanced.  This 
is  owing  to  the  support  and  encouragement  which  has 
been  given  by  the  government  of  Great  Britain  to 
its  trade  with  Mexico,  and  to  the  apathy  which,  on  the 
other  hand,  we,  as  a  government  and  as  a  people,  have 
for  many  years  maintained  with  reference  to  all  that 
concerns  the  encouragement  and  development  of  our 
trade  with  the  Spanish  American  countries,  to  which  we 
are  naturally,  and  should  be  also  commercially,  so 
closely  allied,  but  to  which  we  are  as  yet  practically 
almost  perfect  strangers. 


17 

Had  this  commerce  been  properly  encouraged  it  is  not 
an  overestimate  to  say  that  the  commercial  exchanges 
of  the  United  States  with  Mexico  would  to-day  exceed 
in  amount  the  entire  commerce  which  that  country  now 
maintains  with  all  countries  combined. 

12.  The  total  annual  value  of  foreign  imports  into  the 
Republic  of  Mexico  at  the  present  date,  amounts  to 
abjut  $26,000,000,  and  the  exports  to  about  $28,000,000, 
making  a  total  foreign  interchange  of  imports  and  ex 
ports  of  say  $54,000,000  per  annum. 

This  commerce  is  distributed  nearly  as  follows  : 

Exchanges  with  England,               .             .  $33,400,000 

"             u     United  States,             .      (1858)  8,700,000 

"             "     France,                  .             .  5,500,000 

"             "     Germany,       .             .             .  2,000,000 

u              "     Spain,        .             .              .  1,200,000 

"             '•     Belgium,         .             .             .  400,000 

"             "     Sardinia,                .             .  100,000 
"             "     Guatemala,  Ecuador,  New  j 

Granada.  Venezuela  and  >  500,000 

Chili,  .  .          ) 

"             "     Island  of  Cuba,     .              .  1,200,000 

"             "     India  and  China,         .  1,000,000 


Total,  .  .  $54,000,000 

From  this  statement  it  will  be  seen  that  England  mo 
nopolizes  over  half  of  the  entire  foreign  commerce  of 
Mexico,  and  that  her  proportion  of  this  commerce  is 
nearly  four  times  as  large  as  our  own.  And  yet  to  se 
cure  this  trade,  England  has  to  pass  by  our  very  doors, 
in  fact  almost  within  our  own  territory. 

Besides  this  direct  trade,  England,  in  receiving  as  she 
does  nearly  all  the  silver  which  is  exported  by  Mexico, 
in  payment  for  her  importations,  not  only  from  Erg1  and 
3 


18 

but  also  from  other  countries,  has  the  additional  ad 
vantage  of  securing  a  profitable  exchange  business,  and 
the  exclusive  freight  upon  this  vast  amount  of  treasure. 

13.  These  advantages  England  has  acquired  through 
her  sagacious  and  liberal  policy,  in  supporting  regular  and 
safe  lines  of  steamers  to  Mexico,  ly  which  her  merchants 
have  frequent  and  regular  communication  with  that  country, 
and  a  convenient  and  always  reliable  means  of  receiving 
their  returns  in  the  precious  metals. 

The  importance  of  this  fact  cannot  be  overestimated. 

It  aifords  at  once  a  key  to  the  whole  secret  why  our 
trade  with  Mexico — and  with  all  the  Spanish  American 
countries  with  which  we  have  not  Steam  Communica 
tion,  (and  the  only  exception  is  Cuba) — has  declined  and 
become  almost  lost,  while  England's  trade  has  largely 
advanced,  and  she  is  every  day  more  completely  and 
entirely  taking  their  commerce  away  from  us. 


EFFECT    OF    STEAM     COMMUNICATION     UPON    THE     COMMERCE    OF 
GREAT    BRITAIN. 

14.  The  vast  increase  of  late  years  of  England's  trade 
over  our  own,  not  only  with  Mexico  and  Spanish  Ameri 
ca,  but  with  other  countries,  can  be  traced  solely  to  the 
facilities  which  she  has  afforded  to  her  commerce  with 
those  countries  by  establishing  regular  lines  of  Mail 
Steamers  supported  by  Government  subsidy,  and  which 
facilities  we  on  the  contrary  have  failed  to  supply.  The 
truth  of  this  position  will  be  fully  demonstrated  by  the 
statements  which  follow. 


19 

The  policy  which  has  proved  so  advantageous  to  Eng 
land  in  securing  the  commerce  of  Mexico,  has  been  pur 
sued  by  her  with  reference  to  her  trade  with  Brazil.  A 
line  of  Mail  Steamers  was  subsidized  and  commenced 
running  to  Brazil,  in  1851.  The  immediate  and  powerful 
effect  was  manifested  in  an  increase  of  British  exports 
to  that  country  of  about  one  million  sterling,  ($5,000,000) 
the  first  year,  and  in  five  years  the  entire  trade,  imports 
and  exports  of  England  with  Brazil,  increased  two  hun 
dred  and  twenty-five  per  cent. 

Up  to  1857,  a  period  of  seven  years  since  the  estab 
lishment  of  Steam  Mail  lines  to  Brazil,  the  annual  ex 
ports  of  British  products  to  that  country  have  more  than 
doubled,  while  during  the  seven  years  previous,  without 
Steam  Commerce,  the  increase  was  only  five  per  cent., 
not  five  per  cent,  annually,  but  five  per  cent,  for  the 
whole  period  of  seven  years  preceding  the  introduction 
of  Steam  Communication.* 

15.  Brazil  and  Mexico  are  not  isolated  instances  in 
this  regard ;  the  same  rule  holds  good  with  reference  to 
the  establishment  of  steam  communication  between 
Great  Britain  and  other  countries. 

Take,  for  instance,  the  increase  of  exports  from  Great 
Britain  to  the  United  States,  consequent  upon  steam 
communication,  as  shown  by  the  following  statement : 


*  For  this,  and  other  valuable  statements  which  follow,  with  reference  to  the  effect 
of  steam  communication  upon  the  commerce  of  Great  Britain,  acknowledgment  is 
made  to  a  most  interesting  and  able  work,  recently  published  by  Pliny  Miles,  Efq  . 
upon  the  "  Advantages  of  Steam  Communication  between  Europe  and  America." 

The  reductions  from  sterling  are  made  at  $5.00.  to  the  £. 


Statement  showing  the  value  of  British  manufactures  and 
products  exported  to  the  United  States  every  tenth  year 
from  1800  to  1840,  and  every  third  year  since  1841. 


BEFORE  STEAM  COMMERCE. 

SINCE  STEAM  COMMERCE. 

1800 

$29,570,975 

1844 

$39,690,395 

1810 

29,299,940 

1847 

54,870,805 

1820 

26,699,270 

1850 

74,459,805 

1830 

20,103,735 

1853 

118,292,135 

1840 

29,348,190 

1856 

109,590,525 

The  Cunard  Steamers  were  subsidized  and  com 
menced  the  mail  service  in  1840.  The  exports  of 
British  products  to  the  United  States,  it  will  be  seen, 
underwent  no  perceptible  increase  from  the  year  1800 
to  1840,  although  the  population  of  the  United  States 
during  that  period  increased  from  five  to  seventeen  mil 
lions,  and  the  general  trade  and  business  of  the  country 
in  like  proportion.  But  since  the  introduction  of  Steam 
Communication,  mark  the  results.  While  for  forty  years 
there  had  been  no  perceptible  increase  in  this  trade,  yet 
in  16  years  of  Steam  Communication,  British  exports 
to  the  United  States  rise  from  less  than  30  millions  per 
annum  to  upwards  of  120  millions  per  annum,  or  four 
fold.  These  figures,  it  will  be  noticed,  give  the  exports 
of  British  products  and  manufactures  alone,  not  of  the 
entire  trade. 

16.  Again,  since  1850,  Steam  Communication  between 
the  United  States  and  Great  Britain  has  increased  over 


21 


100  per  cent     Take,  then,  the  average  exports  for  seven 
years  before  that  date,  and  seven  years  thereafter. 

Statement  showing  the  average  annual  exports  of  British 
products  and  manufactures  to  the  United  States  for  two 
periods  of  seven  years  each,  before  and  after  1850  : 


PERIOD. 

ANNUAL  VALUE. 

PERIOD. 

ANNUAL  VALUE. 

From  1844  to  1850. 

$49,509,595 

From  1850  to  1857. 

$96,013,305 

Steam  Communication  between  Great  Britain  and  the 
United  States  since  1850  has  doubled;  and  what  is  the 
result?  That  British  exports  to  the  United  States  for 
the  same  period  have  also  nearly  doubled ! 

No  one  can  possibly  misunderstand  the  lesson  con 
veyed  by  these  facts.  Steam  Communication  has  in  16 
years  more  than  quadrupled  the  exports  of  British  prod 
ucts  to  the  United  States,  while  in  the  preceding  40 
years  they  had  remained  about  stationary,  or  absolutely 
declined ;  and  by  doubling  these  facilities  the  exports 
have  doubled. 

17.  The  following  statement  gives  a  fair  view  of  the 
increased  sale  of  British  products  and  manufactures  in 
the  different  countries  of  North  and  South  America,  as 
produced  by  and  largely  dependent  upon  her  Ocean 
Steam  Mail  service. 


22 


Statement  showing  the  exports  of  British  and  Irish  goods 
only  (not  foreign  products)  from  Great  Britain  to  the 
several  countries  named,  in  1842,  and  also  in  1856  ;  two 
periods  with  14  years  intervening,  during  which  time, 
almost  the  entire  Ocean  Moil  service  of  Great  Britain 
has  been  created : 


Countries. 

Exports  of 
British  Products 
1842. 

Exports  of 
British  Products 
1856. 

Annual  gain 
in 
14  years. 

British  North  America  .....  

$11,667,625 

$20,501,885 

$8,834.260 

United  States          ...          

17,644,035 

109,590,526 

91,946,490 

Total  North  America  ....    

29,311,660 

130,092.410 

100,780,750 

West  Indies  and  Central  America  . 
South  America 

18,564,140 
21,806,875 

20,959,710 
39,583,225 

8,39^,570 
17,776,350 

Total  W.  Indies,  Central  &  S.  Am. 

40,371,015 
29,311,660 

66,542,935 
130,092,4H' 

26,171,920 
K.0,780,750 

Total  North  and  South  America.. 

69,682,675 

196,635,345 

126,952,670 

These  results  are  certainly  very  satisfactory — to  Eng 
land.  They  show,  that  on  account  of  the  Steam  facilities 
which  have  been  introduced  through  the  aid  of  Govern 
ment  subsidy,  the  annual  sale  of  British  products  in 
British  North  America  and  the  United  States,  has  in 
creased,  between  1842  and  1856,  from  $29,311,660  to 
$130,092,410,  a  net  annual  gain  of  more  than  $100,000,- 
000 ;  and  that  the  West  India  and  Spanish  American 
trade,  though  not  giving  so  large  a  result,  is  equally  sat 
isfactory  in  proportion  to  the  facilities  that  have  been 
afforded,  having  increased  in  the  same  period  from 
$40,371,015  to  $66,542,935,  a  net  annual  gain  of  over 
$25,000,000. 


COST    OF    STEAM    MAIL    LINES. 


18.  But  notwithstanding  the  large  subsidies  paid  by 
Great  Britain  for  mail  service,  the  cost  of  supporting 
such  Lines,  it  will  be  found,  forms  but  a  trifling  charge 
upon  the  commerce  she  gains  thereby,  and  is  really  an 
almost  nominal  percentage  upon  her  total  trade. 

Statement  showing  the  total  commerce  of  Great  Britain 
with  the  different  countries  of  North  and  South  America  ; 
the  gain  consequent  upon  the  establishment  of  Mail 
Steam  Ship  Lines,  as  before  stated;  and  the  cost  of 
postal  service  thereto  : 


Countries. 

Total 
Commerce 
1856. 

Annual  Gain 
in 
14  years. 

Cost  of 
Postal 
Service. 

Amount  of 
Postage 
Received. 

Net  expense 
of  Postal 
Service. 

British  North  America  
United  States  • 

$56,164,155 
295,792,015 

$8,834,260 
91,946,490 

$468,850 
432,100 

$189,625 
414,690 

$279,2-25 
17,410 

Total  

351,956,170 

100,780,750 

900,950 

604315 

296,635 

West  Indies  and  Central  America 

78,984,895 
84  4  1'7  900 

8,395,570 
17  776  350 

1,236,750 
275  000 

267,840 
184  l?10 

968,910 
90  790 

Total  W.  Indies,  Central  &  S.  Am. 

163,397,795 
351  956  170 

25,171,920 
100  780  750 

1,511,750 

452,050 
604  315 

1,05«,700 
296  635 

Total  North  and  South  America.. 

515,353,965 

126,952,670 

2.412,700 

1,056,365 

1,356,335 

The  exact  expenditure,  as  shown  by  the  foregoing 
statement,  is  about  one-quarter  of  one  per  cent,  (represented 
by  the  decimal  .26),  on  the  entire  amount  of  commerce. 

The  cost  for  British  North  America  is  .5,  or  one-half 
of  one  per  cent. ;  for  the  United  States,  one-twelfth  of  one 
per  cent. ;  West  Indies,  Mexico  and  Central  America 
i.23,  or  one  and  one-quarter  of  one  per  cent.  ;  for  South 
America,  one-tenth  of  one  per  cent.  ;  for  the  West  Indies, 
Mexico,  Central  and  South  America,  combined,  .05,  or 
two-thirds  of  one  per  cent. ;  and,  as  stated,  for  all  America, 
one-fourth  of  one  per  cent. 


24 

This,  assuredly,  is  not  an  exorbitant  expenditure  upon 
the  amount  of  commerce  transacted.  If  a  merchant 
should  invest  annually  in  advertising,  the  sum  of 
$1,350,000,  and  get  a  trade  of  $515,000,000,  it  would  not 
appear  to  be  an  unprofitable  outlay. 

At  this  rate,  $200,000  expendedin  mail  service  to  Mexi 
co  would  bring  a  mutual  trade  of  $80,000,000  per  annum. 

Upon  the  gain  in  exports  alone,  this  expense  is  also 
merely  trifling :  for  this  enormous  increase  of  over 
$125,000,000  per  annum,  we  find,  is  secured  by  a  gross 
government  outlay,  in  the  support  of  Mail  Lines,  of  less 
than  two  per  cent,  upon  the  increased  export  per  annum  of 
national  products.  And  it  is  also  shown  that  upwards  of 
one-half  of  this  amount  is  returned  to  the  government  in 
postage. 

Surely,  there  can  be  no  further  doubt  as  to  the  advisa 
bility  of  expenditures  of  this  character  on  the  part  of 
government. 


INCREASE    OF    COMMERCE    UNIVERSAL   WHERE    STEAM    MAIL  COMMUNI 
CATION    IS    INTRODUCED. 

19.  The  same  rule  of  increased  commerce,  consequent 
upon  increased  facilities  of  communication,  it  will  be 
found,  holds  good  with  reference  to  British  trade  in  other 
directions  than  America. 

England  has  extended  the  same  wise  and  far-sighted 
policy  to  her  trade  with  Africa  and  to  China,  India  and 
Egypt ;  the  results  that  have  there  followed  the  estab 
lishment  of  Steam  Communication  have  been  equally 
positive  and  important. 


25 


Mail  Communication  from  England  to  the  West  Coast 
of  Africa  commenced  at  the  close  of  1852.  The  result 
is  shown  by  the  following  statement : 

Exports  of  British  manufactures  and  products  to  the  West 
Coast  of  Africa  and  Canary  Islands,  for  two  periods  of 
four  years  each,  before  and  after  the  introduction  of 
Steam  Communication : 


BEFORE    STEAM    COMMUNICATION. 

AFTER    8TEAM    COMMUNICATION. 

1849 

$3,348,260 

1853 

$5.045,200 

1850 

3,505,915 

1854 

5,204,620 

1851 

3  522,000 

1855 

6,473,780 

1852 

2,866,830 

1856 

5,517,915 

Thus  showing  a  clear  annual  gain  of  over  75  per  cent, 
in  the  export  of  British  products. 

To  China,  India  and  Egypt,  the  gain  is  even  more 
extraordinary. 

Statement  showing  the  exports  of  British  products  to  China, 
Egypt  and  India,  for  two  periods,  before  and  after  the 
introduction  of  Subsidized  Steam  Mail  Lines.  Mail 
Communication  commenced  in  1845. 


Exports  British 
products,  1842. 

Exports  British 
products,  1856. 

Annual  gain 
in  14  years. 

Cost  of 
Postal  service. 

China     . 
Egypt     . 
India 

Total 

$4,846,905 
1,105,015 
25,849,440 

31,801,360 

$11,080,615 
7,938,410 
52,730,950 

$6,233,710 
6,833,395 
26,881,510 

71,749,975 

39,948,615 

$920,570 

26 

The  annual  increase  of  British  exports  to  these  coun 
tries  since  the  establishment  of  Steam  Communication 
to  them,  it  is  seen,  is  $39,948,615;  and  this  gain  is  se 
cured  at  what  c.ost '?  simply  by  a  mail  subsidy  of  but 
$920,570  per  annum,  or  less  than  two  and  one-half  of  one 
per  cent,  on  the  annual  increase  of  exports. 

No  one  will  contend  that  Lines  of  Steamers  would 
have  been  established  to  these  countries  without  govern 
ment  aid ;  nor  can  any  one,  after  seeing  these  results,  fail 
to  admit,  that  the  outlay  required  for  the  establishment 
and  maintenance  of  such  lines  is  a  most  profitable  ex 
penditure,  tending  perhaps  more  than  any  other  one 
cause,  to  increase  the  revenues  of  the  government,  en 
large  the  commerce  of  the  country,  and  add  to  its  gene 
ral  prosperity  and  welfare. 


POLICY    OF    THE    UNITED   STATES    WITH    REFERENCE    TO    MEXICO    AND 
OTHER    SPANISH    AMERICAN    COUNTRIES. 

20.  Can  further  examples  be  necessary  to  show  what 

N  should  be  the  policy  of  the  United  States  with  reference 

to  her  long  neglected  trade  with  the  Spanish- American 

countries  adjoining  us,  and  what  means  are  necessary 

for  us  to  again  secure  and  to  increase  that  trade  ? 

The  trade  of  the  Spanish- American  countries  on  this 
continent  of  right  belongs  to  the  United  States. 

Nature  has  given  to  us  a  monopoly  of  their  commerce 
— unless  we  choose  to  reject  it,  and  prefer  to  be  sup 
planted  by  others. 

These  countries  possess  greater  natural  resources 
(<y  than  any  others  on  the  face  of  the  globe  ;  their  aggregate 


27 

population  is  already  larger  than  that  of  the  United  States ; 
they  produce  sufficiently  to  at  once  furnish  a  large  and 
valuable  export  trade  in  return  for  our  commodities  ;  and, 
from  their  geographical'  position,  the  United  States  can 
furnish  every  article  required  by  their  wants,  cheaper 
than  it  can  be  furnished  from  any  other  country — facili 
ties  of  communication  alone  are  wanting. 


WHO    CONTROLS    THE    COMMERCE    OF    MEXICO,    AND    WHY. 

21.  In  particular,  is  the  absence  of  these  facilities  notic- 
able  with  reference  to  Mexico. 

Mexico  is  the  most  important  of  the  Spanish- American 
Republics,  and  is  the  one  with  which  our  commerce 
should  be  the  most  extensive,  and  of  whose  trade  we 
should,  from  our  natural  position,  enjoy  almost  a  mono 
poly. 

But  what  are  the  facts  ? 

The  total  foreign  commerce  of  Mexico,  imports  and 
exports,  as  stated  by  Dn.  Miguel  Lerdo  de  Tejada,  the 
present  enlightened  Minister  of  Treasury,  in  his  reliable 
Statistics  of  Mexico,  is  $54,000,000  per  annum. 

Of  this,  importations  from  the  United  States  formed, 
for  the  year  ending  September  30th,  1858,  only 
$3,315,825,  and  exports  to  the  United  States  $5,477,465, 
or  a  total  trade  of  $8,793,290 — less  than  one-sixth  of  the 
foreign  trade  of  Mexico. 

At  the  same  time  we  have  seen  that  the  imports  from 
and  exports  to  Great  Britain,  give  her  a  total  trade  of 
$33,400,000,  or  over  one-half  of  the  entire  foreign  trade  of 
Mexico. 


28 

Why  is  this  ? 

Simply,  because  England  has  provided  facilities  for 
constant  and  direct  Mail  and  Passenger  Communication 
with  Mexico,  and  regular  and  safe  means  of  transport 
for  the  specie  arid  bullion  returned  in  payment  for  the 
exportations  thither  made  by  her  own  merchants  and 
those  of  other  European  countries  ;  and  because,  on  the 
other  hand,  our  own  Government  has  failed  altogether  in 
providing  or  encouraging  the  establishment  of  mail  facili 
ties  between  the  United  States  and  any  part  of  Mexico, 
(there  is  not  a  single  contract  for  mail  service  to  Mexico 
now  existing,)  and  has  constantly  overlooked  or  regarded 
with  indifference  the  great  necessity  and  importance  of 
stimulating  and  encouraging  our  commerce  in  that  direc 
tion. 

PROTECTION     OF     THE     ENGLISH      GOVERNMENT      TO     ITS     COMMERCE 

WITH     MEXICO. 

22.  The  protection  that  the  English  Government  has 
extended  to  its  trade  with  Mexico  has  even  gone  so 
far  that  British  vessels-of-war  on  the  Pacific  coast,  as  is 
now  a  notorious  fact,  are  allowed  to  serve  the  interests 
of  British  merchants  to  the  extent,  not  only  of  transport 
ing  their  remittances  of  specie,  but  also  of  aiding  them 
in  smuggling  this  treasure  from  the  country  in  violation 
of  the  revenue  laws  of  Mexico,  and  greatly  to  the  detri 
ment  of  all  American  traders,  who  are  thus  subjected  to 
the  disadvantage,  not  only  of  much  greater  delay  in 
making  returns,  but  also  of  the  entire  percentage  repre 
sented  by  the  lawful  export  charges. 

In  addition  to  this,  our  own  Government  has  hitherto 


29 

looked  quietly  on,  while  British  and  European  merchants 
in  Mexico,  through  the  aid  and  connivance  of  their  re 
spective  ministers,  have  also  systematically  taken  ad 
vantage  of  the  necessities  of  the  different  Governments 
there  to  obtain  from  them,  under  the  guise  .of  payments 
in  /anticipation  of  duties,  special  permits  for  the  introduc 
tion  of  merchandise  at  a  reduction  of  from  25  to  50  per 
cent,  from  the  rate  of  duties  established  by  the  regular 
tariff  of  the  country,  to  which,  at  the  same  time,  Ameri 
can  merchants  of  perhaps  less  capital,  and  all  traders 
pursuing  a  strictly  legitimate  business,  have  been  com 
pelled  to  adhere. 

Against  such  disadvantages  as  these,  it  has  been  diffi 
cult  for  the  American  merchants  in  Mexico  to  compete. 

But,  by  the  extension  of  proper  mail  and  specie  trans 
port  facilities,  and  a  prompt  protection  by  our  Govern 
ment  of  the  interests  of  American  citizens  engaged  in 
trade  with  Mexico,  this  commerce,  so  rich  and  so  impor 
tant,  can  again,  and  speedily,  be  restored  to  our  possession 
and  control,  where  it  legitimately  and  naturally  belongs, 
and  where,  for  the  future,  it  must  permanently  remain. 

SHIPMENTS    OF    SILVER    FROM    MEXICO. 

23.  The  shipments  of  silver  from  Mexico,  in  coin  and 
bullion,  amount  annually  to  upwards  of  $23,000,000. 
Of  this  large  export,  the  shipments  to  the  United  States 
for  the  year  ending  June  30th,  185^,  formed  only 
$4,342,535. 

The  entire  balance,  almost  to  a  dollar,  after  being 
collected  from  every  Mexican  port  along  the  entire  Gulf 


30 

and  Pacific  coasts,  by  British  men-of-war,  and  by  British 
steamers,  supported  by  Government  subsidy,  is  shipped 
by  the  Royal  West  India  Mail  Line  of  Steamers,  via 
St.  Thomas,  to  England,  where  it  forms  a  most  impor 
tant  part  of  .that  great  tide  of  the  precious  metals,  by 
whose  constant  influx  the  commercial  supremacy  of 
Great  Britain  is  supported  and  maintained. 

The  returns  of  silver  thus  collected  on  the  Pacific 
coast,  and  at  the  various  ports  within  the  circuit  of  the 
Gulf,  it  will  be  noticed,  are  forwarded  to  England — not 
by  the  direct  route,  for  that  would  be  via  the  United 
States,  touching  at  New  York  ;  but  by  the  circuit  of  the 
West  India  Islands  to  St.  Thomas,  where  an  exchange 
of  steamers  and  reshipment  take  place,  and  thence  to 
England. 

Should  this  trade  be  diverted  via  the  United  States,,  by 
the  shortest  route,  from  New  Orleans  to  New  York,  and 
thence  by  the  shortest  route  to  Europe,  there  would, 
undoubtedly,  be  a  saving  in  distance  of  sufficient  im 
portance  to  eventually  draw  the  whole  trade  between 
Europe  and  the  Mexican  ports  on  the  Gulf,  from  its 
present  circuituous  route  to  the  shorter  and  more  direct 
route,  via  the  United  States. 

The  advantages  of  this  direct  route  will  more  promi 
nently  appear  when  we  take  into  consideration  the  fact 
that  at  the  present  time  the  shipments  destined  for 
Europe,  from  most  of  the  ports  have  to  be  carried  in 
sailing  vessels  to  Vera  Cruz,  and  there  reshipped ; 
while  the  establishment  of  the  Gulf  Line  will  obviate  all 
that  difficulty,  as  the  steamers  composing  it  are  to  touch 
at  all  the  more  important  ports. 


31 

The  difference  in  time,  in  favor  of  shipments  via  the 
United  States,  is  still  more  worthy  of  attention. 

The  present  time  of  passage  by  the  English  steamers 
from  Vera  Cruz,  touching  and  remaining  a  day  to  coal 
at  Havana,  and  exchanging  steamers  with  loss  of  another 
day,  and  sometimes  more,  at  St.  Thomas,  to  Southamp 
ton  is  twenty-seven  days.  Via  New  York,  the  time  from 
Yera  Cruz  to  England  would  be  reduced  to  twenty  days, 
a  saving  of  seven  days,  or  one-quarter  in  time. 

Rates  of  freight  and  insurance  over  the  respective 
routes  would  probably  be  the  same  ;  but  should  be  less 
by  way  of  the  United  States,  for  the  route,  via  St. 
Thomas  involves  far  greater  risks  of  navigation,  as  well 
as  loss  of  time,  and  greater  distance. 

But  the  trade  of  Mexico,  by  the  establishment  of  the 
proper  facilities  of  communication  with  the  United  States, 
will  become  almost  exclusively  our  own,  and  this  vast 
tide  of  silver  will  assuredly  find  not  only  its  entire  trans 
port  in  American  Steamers,  but  also  its  final  destination 
in  the  United  States. 


SIMILAR    EFFECT  TO   BE  PRODUCED    BY  THE  SILVER  OF  MEXICO  AS  HAS 
BEEN  PRODUCED  BY  THE  GOLD  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

24.  The  vast  and  regular  export  of  silver  by  Mexico, 
in  the  increasing  scarcity  (in  proportion)  of  that  neces 
sary  medium  of  exchange,  forms  a  more  important  item 
in  the  commerce  of  the  world  than  we  in  the  United 


32 

States,  who  have  allowed  so  rich  a  current  to  diverge 
from  almost  within  our  own  borders,  are  accustomed  to 
imagine  ;  and  its  retention  within  our  own  hands  would 
do  much  toward  placing  the  United  States  in  a  position 
to  control  the  commercial  exchanges  of  the  world. 

The  importance  of  this  view  is  greatly  enhanced, 
when  it  is  taken  into  consideration  that  the  production  of 
silver  in  Mexico  might  easily  reach — and  probably  with 
in  a  few  years  will  reach — a  larger  sum  than  the  present 
production  of  gold  in  California,  and  that  the  control  of 
this  entire  amount  can  be  secured  to  the  United  States. 

The  effect  upon  the  general  trade  and  "commerce  of 
the  country  of  the  regular  and  constant  receipt  of  an 
amount  of  silver  equal,  and  in  addition,  to  that  we  now 
receive  of  gold,  flowing  into  our  commercial  centres,  and 
the  great  stimulus  that  would  be  given  to  our  national 
prosperity,  can  hardly  be  imagined — certainly  cannot  be 
overestimated. 

Such  effects  as  have  been  produced  by  California 
upon  our  trade  and  prosperity,  and  upon  that  of  the 
world,  must  again  proceed  from  the  developments  which 
will  soon  take  place  in  the  commerce  of  the  United 
States  with  Mexico. 

Hence,  it  is  seen,  how  important  are  the  bearings  of  the 
subject  now  under  consideration,  and  how  necessary  it  is, 
that  such  facilities  as  are  required  for  the  proper  encour 
agement  and  development  of  this  trade  should  be  at  once 
and  fully  supplied. 


33 


COMMERCE    OF    THE    SPANISH    AMERICAN    COUNTRIES    ON    THIS 
CONTINENT. 

25,  The  magnitude  and  importance  of  the  trade  of  the 
Spanish  American  countries  on  this  continent,  and  their 
capacity  for  the  extension  of  that  commerce,  is  far 
greater  "than  is  generally  understood.  A  comparative 
view  of  their  extent,  population  and  commerce,  as  con 
trasted  with  that  of  the  United  States  and  Canada,  will 
not  in  this  connection  be  altogether  inappropriate,  and 
cannot  fail  to  prove  interesting. 

*  The  extent,  population  and  commerce  of  these  coun 
tries,  including  Brazil ;  the  proportion  of  their  commerce 
to  their  population,  and  the  small  share  which  the  United 
States  yet  enjoys  of  their  trade,  will  be  found  fully  set 
forth  in  the  following  statements  : 

26.  1.  Statement  showing  the  population,  area,  and  average 
density  of  population  to  the  square  mile  of  the  principal 
countries  on  this  Continent : 


Countries. 

Population. 

Area  square  miles. 

Density    of    Popu 
lation  per 
square  mile. 

t  Mexico 

8,283,088 
30,500,000 
2,571,437 
1,449,462 
2,497,154 
971,450 
394,000 
358,000 
257.000 
215,000 
2,363.054 
1,361,386 
1,108,042 
2,106,492 
2.326,126 
1,558,319 
1,459.355 
177,300 
600,000 
7,677,800 

766482 
2,990,000 
357,822 
47,278 
49,015 
43,380 
9,600 
39,600 
40,200 
21,800 
521,948 
426,712 
206,692 
498,726 
473,298 
249,952 
1,126.265 
73,538 
86,102 
2,973,406 

10.8 
10.2 
7.2 
30.7 
50.9 
22.4 
41.0 
9.5 
6.3 
9.8 
4.5 
3.1 
5.3 
4.2 
4.9 
62 
1.2 
2.4 
6.9 
2.5 

$  United  States 
*  Canada 

*  Cuba 

*  Other  West  Ir 
*  Guatemala      > 
*  San  Salvador 
*  Honduras 
*  Nicaragua 
*  Costa  Rica     j 
*  GranadianCon 
*  Venezuela 
*  Ecuador 
*  Peru 
«  Bolivia 
*  Chili 
*  Argentine  Rep 
*  Uruguay 
*  Paraguay 
*  Brazil 

ulia  Islands  

I  :::"::::::: 

£ 

\i  ' 

6  

federation 

rt 
a 
'C 

:  < 
ublic            | 

a 
09 

NOTES,  t  From  Garcia  y  Cuba's  Statistical  Maps,  Ministry  of  Fomento,  Mexico. 
t)  From  De  Bow's  Review,  August,  1659. 
*  From  Journal  of  American  Geographical  and  Statistical  Society. 


34 


RECAPITULATION. 


COT7NTRIES. 

POPULATION. 

AREA. 

DENSITY. 

Mexico    

8,283,088 

766,482 

10.8 

Cuba       

1,449,462 

47,278 

30.7 

Other  West,  India  Islands  .     .     . 
Central  America  

2,497,154 
2,195,450 

49,015 
154,580 

50.9 
14.2 

South  America     

20,737,874 

6,636,639 

3.1 

Total  Spanish  America    . 

35,163,028 

7,653,994 

4.5 

30,500,000 

2,990,000 

10.2 

2  571,437 

357,822 

7.2 

From  this  statement  it  will  be  seen,  that  these  Spanish 
American  countries,  to  which  we  are  geographically  so 
closely  allied,  but  to  which  we  are  as  yet  such  perfect 
strangers,  have  a  population  nearly  one-sixth  greater 
than  that  of  the  United  States,  and  a  territorial  area 
more  than  two  and  one-half  times  larger  than  our  own; 
that  of  these  countries  Mexico,  Cuba,  other  West  India 
Islands,  and  Central  America,  exceed  the  United  States 
in  density  of  population ;  that  Mexico  is  the  first  of  these 
countries  in  population,  as  she  is  the  largest  in  extent, 
except  Brazil ;  and  that  as  compared  with  Canada,  with 
which  we  consider  our  trade  so  important,  Mexico  is  in 
extent,  as  two  and  one-eighth  to  one,  and  in  population 
as  three  and  one-fifth  to  one. 


35 


27.  2.  Statement  showing  the  foreign  commerce  of  the  prin 
cipal  countries  on  this  continent,  as  compiled  from  the 
latest  returns ;  the  average  per  capita  for  each  country 
of  imports  and  exports ;  and  the  amount  per  capita  of 
their  total  foreign  commerce. 


Countries. 

Population 

i 

<0 

Imports. 

|  J 

Exports. 

M 

Total 
Foreign  Com 

M 

p"1 

^  ^5 

•<  3 

merce. 

<  ^ 

Mexico*  .  .  •  .      , 

8,283,088 

1856 

$26.000,000 

$3  14 

$28,000,000 

$3,38 

$54,000,000 

*r 

United  States,..     .. 

30,500,000 

1858 

2>2,613,150 

9,26 

324,644,421 

10.64 

607,257,571 

19  90 

Canada,  •  •    •          .  .  * 

2,571,437 

1857 

49,288,245 

19.16 

31,813  020 

12,37 

81,101,265 

31  53 

*  Cuba  

1,449,462 

1858 

39,560,299 

27^29 

46,792,055 

32.28 

86,352,354 

59  57 

Other  W.  I.  Islands, 

2,497,154 

1856 

41,813,26-2 

16,74 

37,18^.283 

14,89 

79,001,545 

3!  ''3 

Guatemala,       ^ 

971,450 

1858 

1,223,770 

1.25 

1.924,5ii9 

1,98 

3.148,279 

3*83 

San  Salvador,    1  -3  g 

394,000 

1858 

1,246,720 

3,16 

1,585.485 

4.02 

2,832,205 

7  IS 

Honduras,         J  i:  c 

358,000 

1855 

937,289 

2.61 

745  901 

2,08 

1,683.190 

4  (i.l 

Nicaragua,         1   g  § 

257,000 

1855 

972,851 

3.78 

958,572 

3,73 

1.931.423 

7'M 

Costa  Rica,        J  °  *< 

215,000 

1858 

1,267,367 

5,89 

1.351,779 

6,28 

2,619,166 

12'  17 

Granadinn  Ccmfe-\ 
deration,            \ 

2,363,054 

1856 

3,255,843 

1,37 

7,064,584 

2,98 

10,320,427 

4,36 

Venezuela,             1  ^ 

1,361,386 

1856 

5.597,129 

4,11 

6,636,104 

4,87 

12.233,233 

8.P.8 

Ecuador,                I  .8 

1,108,042 

1856 

2,626,706 

2,37 

2.723.141 

2,45 

5,349,847 

4,82 

Peru,                     1  | 

2,106,492 

1853 

9,087,894 

4,31 

16,880,377 

8,01 

25,968,271 

12.32 

Bolivia, 

2,326,126 

1853 

1,359,585 

,58 

1,422,716 

61 

2,782,301 

1,19 

Chili,                         2 

1,558,319 

1857 

19,804,041 

12,70 

20,126,461 

12,91 

39,930,502 

25.6-2 

Argentine      Re-      *; 
public,                    o 

1,459,355 

1855 

11,394,000 

7,80 

15,260,986 

10,45 

26,654,986 

18,26 

Uruguay, 

177,300 

1856 

4,586,317 

25,86 

10,303,853 

58,11 

14,890,170 

83,98 

Paraguay, 

600,000 

1856 

610.865 

1,01 

1,006,059 

1,67 

1,616,924 

2.08 

Brazil, 

7,677,800 

1857 

68,808,865 

8,96 

63,613,005 

8,28 

132,421,870 

17,24 

RECAPITULATION. 


Countries. 

Population. 

Imports. 

Av'age 
per 
Capita. 

Exports. 

Av'age 
per 
Capita. 

Total 
Foreign 
Commerce. 

Av'age 
pet- 
Capita. 

Mexico 

8  283.088 
1,449.462 
2,497,154 
2,195,450 
20,737,874 

$25,000,000 
39,560,299 
41,813,262 
5,648,017 
127,131,245 

$3  14 
27  29 
16  74 
2  57 
6  13 

$28,  000,000 
46.7P2.055 
37,188,283 
6,566.246 
145,037.286 

$3  38 

32  28 
14  81) 
2  99 
6  99 

$54,000,000 
86,352,354 
7$  001,545 
12,214,2t»3 
272,168.531 

$6  52 
59  57 
31   fi3 
5  56 
13  1'J 

Cuba  .  ... 

Other  West  India  Islands 
Central  America  
South  America  

Total  Spanish  America 
United  States  
Canada  

35,163,028 
30,500-,000 
2,571,437 

240,152,823 
282,613,150 
49,288,245 

6  82 
9  2« 
19  16 

263,583,870 
324,644,421 
31,813,020 

7  49 
10  64 
12  37 

503,73(i,693|     11  31 
607,257.571'     1(.)  '.»<) 
81,101.265|     31  53 

*  NOTE.-— Imports  and  exports  arrved  at  by  taking  the  returns  of  fhe  "  Balances  Gene- 
rales,"  for  1854,  and  adding  thereto  the  known  increase  of  trade  with  the  United  States, 
and  an  estimated  increase  with  other  countries  of  ten  per  cent,  on  imports,  and  thirty 
per  cent,  on  exports 


36 

This  is  an  interesting  and  instructive  table  ;  and  to 
those  who  have  not  investigated  the  subject,  will  doubt 
less  give  an  entirely  new  idea  of  the  extent  and  impor 
tance  of  the  trade  now  existing  in  the  Spanish- American 
countries  on  this  continent,  regarding  which  the  popular 
idea  has  been  one  so  entirely  of  disparagement  and  de 
preciation. 

We  have  seen  that  the  population  and  area  of  these 
countries  are  very  considerably  greater  than  our  own. 
We  now  find  their  foreign  commerce — great  and  impor 
tant  as  is  that  of  the  United  States,  and  insignificant  as 
we  have  been  accustomed  to  suppose  was  theirs — is 
really  but  17  per  cent,  less  than  our  own,  in  gross 
amount,  and  even  in  proportion  to  their  population,  falls 
short  but  20  per  cent,  of  being  as  large,  per  capita,  as 
that  of  the  United  States. 

We  also  see  that  these  countries  are  capable  of  sup 
porting  a  much  larger  total  of  foreign  commerce,  for 
they  are  all  nearly  equal  in  extraordinary  fertility  of  soil 
and  in  extent  of  natural  resources  ;  (certainly  Mexico  is 
inferior  to  none,)  and  the  actual  present  returns  of  some 
of  them,  such  as  Cuba,  other  West  India  Islands,  Chili 
and  Brazil,  prove  what  the  others  are  capable  of  under 
proper  encouragement  and  development. 

In  proportion  to  its  population  the  foreign  commerce 
of  Cuba  is  300  per  cent,  greater  than  that  of  the 
United  States ;  that  of  other  West  India  Islands  is  60 
per  cent,  greater ;  that  of  Chili  is  30  per  cent. ;  and  of 
Brazil,  notwithstanding  its  large  population,  and  as  yet 
very  limited  development,  is  nearly  equal  to  that  of  the 
United  States. 


37 

As  regards  Canada,  the  trade  of  the  Spanish  Ameri 
can  countries  is  as  nearly  7  to  1. 

We  also  see  to  what  an  extent  the  commerce  of  Mexi 
co  may  be  increased,  judging  of  her  capacity  merely 
by  what  the  trade  of  other  Spanish  American  countries 
of  not  superior  resources,  nor  in  all  respects,  of  equal 
advantages,  has  already  become. 

The  imports  of  Mexico  are  as  yet  but  $3.14  per  head ; 
while  those  of  Cuba  are  $27.29;  of  Uruguay,  $25.86; 
of  Chili,  $12.70  ;  of  the  Argentine  Republic,  $7.80;  and 
of  Brazil  $8.96  per  capita.  Taking  merely  the  average 
for  South  America  of  $6.13  per  head,  and  giving  Mexico 
the  same  trade,  her  importations  would  be  nearly 
doubled,  or  would  be  $52,000,000  per  annum,  where 
they  now  are  but  $26,000,000. 

No  reasons  but  the  want  of  tranquillity  and  the  absence 
of  means  of  communication,  prevent  the  trade  of  Mexico 
from  at  once  rising  to  proportions  equal  to  those  of  any 
other  of  the  Spanish  American  countries  ;  and  taking  all 
of  these  countries  together,  there  is  no  reason  why  ten 
years  of  assiduous  development  of  their  trade  on  the  part 
of  the  United  States  should  not  see  it  amount  to  over 
$1,000,000,000  per  annum,  in  place  of  its  present 
$500,000,000. 

What  proportion  of  their  trade  we  now  enjoy,  will  be 
shown  by  the  following  table  : 


38 


2S.  3.  Statement  showing  the  commerce  of  the  principal 
countries  on  this  Continent  with  the  United  States,  for 
the  year  ending  June  30,  1858,  as  compared  with  the 
latest  returns  of  their  entire  commerce  : 


Countries. 

Imports 
from 
TJ.  States. 

Imports    from 
all 
Countries. 

Exports 
to 
U.  States. 

Exports 
to  all 

Countries. 

Total  trade 
with 
U.   States 

Total   trade 
with  all 
Countries. 

$3  HI  5  825 

$•>(}  000  000 

$5,477  465 

$28  000  000 

$8,793,290 

$54,000,000 

Canada  

17,029,254 

49  288,245 

11,581,571 

31,813,020 

28,610,825 

81,101,265 

Cuba  
Other  W.  hid.  Islands 
Guatemala     -j    .     ... 
San  Salvador  I    . 
Honduras         }•   • 
Nicaragua        |     •      •  • 
'  '»ta  Rica     J     -     ... 
G  raimdian  Confedera'n 
Venezuela  

14,433,191 

11,685,473 

134,962 

1,688.667 
1/267,926 
13  700 

39,5^0,299 
41,813,262 
f  1,223.770-) 
|    1,246.720 
<(      937,289  V 
972,851 
1  1,867,387  J 
3,255,843 
5,597,129 
2  626  706 

27,214,846 
9,646,327 

132,427 

3,099,721 

3,601,847 

46,792,'  '55 
37,188.283 
f  1,  924,509  1 
|    1,585,485 
^      745,901  > 
958.572 
1  1,351,779  J 
7,064,584 
6,636,104 
2,723,141 

41,648,037 
21,331,800 

267,389 

4,788,388 
4,869,773 
13,700 

86,352,354 
79,001,545 
f  3,148,279 
[   2,832,205 
4    1,683.190 
1,931,423 
1  2,619,166 
10,320,427 
12.236,233 
5,349,847 

Peru  

685,909 

9,087.894 

1,000,541 

16,880,377 

1,686.450 

25.968,271 

12  373 

1,359,585 

38,658 

1,422,716 

51V()3] 

2,782,301 

Chili 

1  972  541 

19  804  041 

2  655  263 

20,126  461 

4,627,804 

39,930,502 

Argentine  Republic  . 

904,594 
578  128 

11,394,000 
4,586  317 

2,725,218 

621,888 

15,260,986 
10  303,853 

3,629,812 
1,200,016 

26,654,986 
14,890,170 

610  865 

1  006,059 

1,616,9-24 

Brazil  

4,954,706 

68,808,865 

16,952,386 

63,613,005 

21,907,092 

132,421,870 

RECAPITULATION. 


Countries. 

Imports 
from 

U.  States 

Imports 
from  all 
Countries. 

Exports 
to  U.  S. 

Exports 
to  all 

Countries. 

Total  trade 
with  U.  S. 

Total  trade 
with  all 
Countries. 

$3,315,825 

$26.000,000 

$5.477,465 

$28.000,000 

$8,793,290 

$54,000.000 

Cuba 

14,433,191 

39,560,293 

27,214,846 

46,792,055 

41,648,037 

86,352  354 

Other  West  India  Islands 

11,685.473 
134,962 

41.813,262 
5  648,017 

9,«4'i,327 
132,427 

37,188.283 
6.566,246 

21,331,800 
267,389 

79.001.545 
12,214263 

12,078,544 

127,131,245 

30,695  522 

145  037  286 

42,774,066 

272  168  531 

Total  Spanish  America. 

41,647,995 

240,152,823 

73,166,587 

263,583,870 

114,814.582 

503,736,693 

Cauada  .... 

17  029  254 

49  288  245 

11  581  571 

31  813  0*^0 

28  610  825 

81  101  265 

But  $114,000,000,  out  of  a  trade  of  over  $500,000,000, 
or  only  about  one-fifth  of  their  commerce,  is  all  the  Uni 
ted  States  has  as  yet  had  the  enterprise  to  secure  of  the 
trade  of  its  immediately  adjacent  neighbors,  of  the  coun 
tries  which  are  not  only  near  to  us,  and  distant  from 
European  sources  of  supply,  which  consume  almost 
every  article  we  manufacture  or  produce,  and  whose 


39 

productions  we  could  advantageously  use  in  return,  but 
which  are  naturally  bound  to  us  by  every  tie  of  common 
interest,  of  similar  political  institutions,  and  of  a  true 
continental  commercial  policy. 

With  Mexico,  it  is  seen,  our  trade  is  but  $8,000,000, 
out  of  $54,000,000,  or  only  one-seventh.  With  Cuba  it 
is  nearly  one-half,  and  our  influence  is  beginning  to  be 
felt  to  a  corresponding  extent.  With  Central  America 
our  trade  is  but  $267,000,  out  of  $12,200,000.  No  won 
der  our  diplomacy  there  encounters  difficulties.  Their 
interests  plainly  lie  with  Europe,  not  with  the  United 
States. 

With  the  whole  of  South  America  our  trade  is  but 
$42,000,000,  out  of  a  total  trade  of  $272,000,000,  or  only 
about  one-sixth.  With  some  of  the  South  American 
countries  our  trade  is  scarcely  worth  the  name  ;  as  for 
instance,  with  Ecuador  it  is  only  $13,700,  out  of  a  total 
trade  of  $5,300,000,  and  with  Bolivia,  only  $51,000  out 
of  $2,700,000.  With  Paraguay,  also,  to  which  we  lately 
gave  so  expensive  attention,  our  trade  is  actually  as 
yet  without  existence.  Peru,  out  of  a  trade  of  nearly 
$26,000,000,  does  business  only  to  the  amount  of 
$1,600,000  with  us.  Of  Chili's  trade,  of  upwards  of 
$40,000,000,  we  have  only  about  $4,000,000.  The 
Argentine  Republic  and  Uruguay  stand  hi  about  the 
same  proportion,  and  with  Brazil,  out  of  a  total  trade  of 
$132,000,000,  we  have  less  than  $22,000,000. 

But  even  taking  these  proportions,  as  they  now  exist, 
it  will  be  seen  that  our  trade  with  Mexico,  our  nearest 
neighbor,  falls  far  short  of  the  trade  we  have  with  some 
others  of  the  Spanish  American  countries,  and  particu- 


40 

larly  those  to  which  she  most  corresponds  in  her  adap 
tability  for  the  production  of  those  articles  which  form 
the  staple  of  their  commerce,  viz.,  sugar  and  coffee. 

Our  trade  with  Mexico  raised  to  the  same  amount 
that  it  now  is  with  Cuba,  in  proportion  to  population, 
would  be  $237,000,000  per  annum.  If  equal,  in  pro 
portion  to  population,  to  the  trade  we  now  have  with 
the  other  West  India  Islands,  it  would  amount  to  over 
$70,000,000  per  annum;  and  even  if  it  reached  no 
higher  rate  than  our  present  trade  with  Brazil,  it  would 
be  upwards  of  $24,000,000  per  annum,  or  nearly  three 
times  its  present  amount. 

The  facts  presented  in  these  tables  show  that  our 
commercial  relations  with  the  Spanish  American  coun 
tries  generally,  and  particularly  Mexico,  with  which 
our  close  proximity  renders  our  interests  more  immedi 
ate,  are  worthy  of  and  should  immediately  receive  the 
serious  attention  of  our  legislators  and  business  men,  and 
that  every  facility  should  be  accorded  by  our  Govern 
ment  that  is  calculated  to  develop  our  commerce  in  these 
directions. 


ENTIRE    ABSENCE  OF  STEAM    COMMUNICATION    BETWEEN  THE    UNITED 
STATES    AND    THE    SPANISH    AMERICAN    COUNTRIES. 

29.  And  yet  to  none  of  these  countries  having  this 
vast  commerce  have  we  a  single  line  of  steamers,  (ex 
cept  to  one  port  of  Cuba,  and  one  on  the  Isthmus  of 
Panama,)  or  any  of  those  facilities  of  mail  and  passen 
ger  service  which  are  so  necessary  to  secure  this  trade, 


41 

and  which,  being  furnished  so  freely  by  England,  have 
obtained  for  her  merchants,  up  to  the  present  moment, 
almost  a  monopoly  of  this  growing  and  most  important 
commerce. 

With  reference  to  this  point,  the  views  presented  in  an 
able  and  elaborate  paper  upon  the  subject  of  Steam  Mail 
Communication,  between  the  United  States  and  Brazil, 
recently  read  before  one  of  the  leading  societies  of  New 
York,  by  Dr.  Thomas  Rainey,  are  peculiarly  pertinent. 

Speaking  of  the  trade  of  these  Spanish  American 
countries,  the  writer  proceeds  to  say  :  "  It  is  a  most  sin 
gular  fact,  that  with  an  aggregate  trade  so  large  as  this, 
and  composed  mainly  of  those  staple  articles  in  which 
we  could  best  compete,  the  United  States,  with  the  largest 
commercial  marine  in  the  world,  disputing  with  the  last 
great  contending  rival,  the  championship  of  the  seas,  and 
claiming  an  aggregate  enterprise,  equaled  by  that  of  no 
other  people  on  the  globe,  should  yet  lag  behind  some 
of  even  the  most  insignificant  nations  of  Europe,  in  the 
prosecution  of  a  trade  which  all  the  advantages  of  geo 
graphical  contiguity  would  proclaim  peculiarly  her  own  ; 
that  she  should  not  sustain  a  single  steam  ship  line  of 
any  class  to  those  vast,  important  and  growing  countries, 
where  we  could  compete  for  the  large  trade  noticed 
above." 

The  commercial  men  of  this  country  complain  bit 
terly  that  the  government  gives  them  no  facilities  for 
conducting  this  trade  successfully,  and  competing  on  fair 
terms  with  foreign  merchants. 

They  see  the  Spanish  American  Republics,  the  West 
Indies  and  Brazil,  lying  right  at  our  door,  much  nearer  to 
6 


42 

us  than  to  Great  Britain  and  other  European  countries, 
and  offering  to  us  a  trade  which  is  now  very  large,  and 
which  if  not  already  as  large  as  that  with  the  old  world, 
is  yet  destined  within  the  coming  generation  to  be  the 
largest,  the  richest,  the  most  natural  and  the  most  profit 
able  trade  in  the  whole  world. 

They  complain  not  so  much  that  Great  Britain  has  the 
monopoly  of  this  trade,  which  naturally  belongs  to  the 
United  States,  not  so  much  that  she  conducts  that  trade  by 
steam  facilities,  to  the  detriment  of  us  who  have  none, 
not  so  much  that  she  has  even  four  lines  of  steamers,  and 
weekly  communication,  as  well  as  the  advantage  and 
use  of  all  other  European  lines,  but  that  the  citizens  of 
the  United  States  are  not  permitted  to  enter  into  a  fair 
competition  for  this  trade.  Oar  people  probably  surpass 
any  other  people  in  the  world  in  individual  and  aggre 
gate  enterprise  and  energy.  They  ask  as  few  favors  of 
the  government  as  any  people  on  the  earth,  doing  every 
thing  that  is  practicable  and  that  energy  and  capital  can 
accomplish  without  the  intervention  of  the  government. 
But  there  are  some  things  that,  through  unaided  private 
enterprise,  her  citizens  cannot  accomplish :  and  one  of 
these  is,  the  maintenance  of  mail  steamship  lines  on  the 
ocean. 

Great  Britain  has  learned  this  fact  from  experience, 
and  is  profiting  by  it.  Her  wise  statesmen  and  merchants 
know  that  commerce  can  be  accommodated  only  by  rapid 
steam  mails,  which  have  regular  and  reliable  periods  for 
arrival  and  departure,  and  that,  although  these  mails  cost 
the  government  and  the  people  something  more  than 
those  slow  and  uncertain  communications  which  depend 


43 

on  sailing  vessels  and  overland  transit,  yet  they  are 
enabled,  by  the  facilities  which  they  afford,  to  monopolize 
and  control  the  commerce  of  the  world,  and  to  divert  it 
from  the  most  natural  channels,  into  the  lap  of  British 
wealth.  It  is  in  this  view  of  the  subject  that  our  mer 
chants  so  justly  complain  that  our  government,  by  re 
fusing  to  give  them  the  facilities  commensurate  with  the 
demands  of  the  age,  deprives  them  of  the  power  or  privi 
lege  of  competing  with  foreign  nations  in  this  trade,  and 
palsies  their  hands  simply  because  they  are  not  able 
individually  and  by  their  associated  capital,  to  do  that 
which  only  the  government  can  do. 

The  reason  why  our  mail  steamers,  to  be  established 
in  this  trade,  require  the  aid  of  government  is,  because 
foreign  governments  subsidize  their  lines,  and  that  our 
individual  enterprise  cannot  compete  with  their  individual 
enterprise,  and  that  of  their  government  combined. 

The  reason  why  foreign  governments  subsidize  their 
steamship  lines,  engaged  in  this  trade,  is,  because  those 
lines  cannot  depend  upon  their  own  receipts  for  support,  or 
run  without  government  aid. 

These  facts  are  indisputed  by  steamship  men  and  mer 
chants,  and  are  verified  by  the  practice  of  the  whole 
world,  and  the  great  number  of  failures  in  attempting  to 
sustain  steamers  from  year  to  year,  on  regular  lines,  by 
their  receipts  alone. 

If  England  by  steam  has  overtaken  and  neutralized 
our  trade  with  these  countries,  then  we  have  only  to 
employ  the  same  agent  and  from  geographical  advantages 
we  will  soon  surpass  her,  as  certainly,  and  even  more 
effectually,  than  she  has  us.  She  sweeps  our  waters,and 


44 


we  offer  her  no  resistance  or  competition.  She  gains  in 
these  Spanish  American  countries  an  invaluable  trade, 
because  she  employs  the  proper  means  for  its  attainment 
and  promotion,  while  we  do  not.  Hence,  although  much 
farther  off,  she  is  practically  nearer. 

Suppose  that  Great  Britain  had  no  steamers  to  that 
great  sea  at  her  threshold,  the  Mediterranean,  and  we 
had  the  enterprise  to  run  a  main  trunk  line  to  Gibraltar 
and  Malta,  and  nine  branches  from  this  termini  to  all 
the  great  points  of  commerce  in  Mediterranean  Europe, 
Asia  and  Africa.  Would  we  not  soon  command  the 
trade  of  all  Southern  Europe,  of  Western  Asia,  and  of 
Africa  ? 

But  we  find  her  wisely  occupying  her  own  territory, 
and  that  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  get  possession.  Great 
Britain  has  not  waited  for  competition  to  urge  her  to  her 
duty  to  her  people. 

30.  The  report  of  the  Post -Office  Committee  of  the 
House  of  Representatives,  on  the  subject  of  Steamship 
Lines  to  the  West  India  Islands  and  Brazil,  at  the  last 
session,  also  forcibly  sets  forth  our  deficiencies  with  refer 
ence  to  the  Spanish  American  Trade.  "It  is  a  singularly 
significant  fact,  and  one  demanding  the  serious  attention 
of  this  body,  that  while  the  British  Government  sustains 
a  perfect  net-work  of  steam  lines  among  the  West  India 
Islands,  along  the  Spanish  Main,  to  Central  America, 
and  to  Mexico,  and  from  Panama  along  the  whole  Pacific 
coast  of  South  America,  as  well  as  from  the  West  Indies 
to  Halifax  in  British  North  America,  which  are  all  so 
arranged  as  to  sweep  closely  around  our  whole  coast 
and  yet  afford  to  our  commerce  and  our  countrymen 


45 

no  possible  accommodations,  and  also  two  excellent 
monthly  lines  from  Southampton  and  Liverpool  to  Brazil 
and  La  Plata,  the  United  States  have  not  established  a 
single  line  of  steamers,  save  a  short  line  from  Charleston 
to  Cuba,  and  to  some  unimportant  touching  places  in 
Central  America,  to  any  of  these  large  and  growing 
fields  of  commerce,  notwithstanding  our  very  highly 
favorable  proximity  to  them,  which,  with  the  proper  en 
couragement  from  the  government,  would  make  our 
people  actually,  as  naturally,  almost  their  sole  furnishers, 
carriers,  traders  and  bankers." 


ELABORATENESS      OF      THE     ENGLISH      STEAM -PACKET      SYSTEM    TO 
SPANISH    AMERICA. 

31.  How  elaborate  and  perfect,  in  its  arrangement,  this 
English  steam  mail  packet  system  is,  can  be  inferred 
from  the  following  sketch  of  the  West  India  and  Brazil 
lines : 

The  mails  from  England  are  made  up  on  the  2d  and 
17th  of  every  month,  and  are  taken  from  Southampton 
by  one  of  the  splendid  steamships  of  the  "Royal  Mail 
Steam  Packet  Company." 

This  Company  has  twenty  vessels  of  29,454  tons, 
9,306  horse  power,  and  1,667  men.  They  contract  with 
the  government  to  carry  the  mails  between  England  and 
the  West  Indies,  Gulf  of  Mexico  and  Spanish  Main, 
twice  a  month,  and  to  Brazil  and  the  Rio  Plata  once 
a  month,  from  Southampton,  for  an  aggregate  subsidy 
of  £270,000  per  annum.  After  leaving  Southampton, 
the  vessels  of  the  West  India  line  proceed  direct  to 


46 

St.  Thomas,  and  thence  to  Santa  Martha,  Carthagena, 
and  Aspinwall,  and  from  Aspinwall  to  Greytown  and 
back.  Returning-,  they  leave  Aspinwall  with  the  mails 
and  treasure  from  the  west  coast  of  South  America,  and 
from  California,  and  touching  only  at  Carthagena,  pro 
ceed  to  St.  Thomas,  where  the  entire  West  Indian  mails 
and  the  mails  and  treasure  from  Mexico  have  meanwhile 
been  collected ;  and  thence  they  proceed  direct  to  South 
ampton.  Time  between  Aspinwall  and  Southampton 
twenty- two  days. 

Once  a  month,  a  branch  steamer  leaves  St.  Thomas 
for  Havana,  VeraCruz  and  Tampico,  with  the  out  mails  of 
the  2d  of  the  month,  brought  by  the  steamer  of  the  trunk 
line  from  Southampton  to  St.  Thomas.  Returning,  the 
mails  and  treasure  are  collected  at  Tampico,  Vera  Cruz 
and  Havana,  and  reach  St.  Thomas  in  time  to  connect 
with  the  main-line  steamer  thence  to  Southampton. 

Twice  a  month  another  steamer  proceeds  from  St. 
Thomas  to  Porto  Rico,  Jacmel  and  Jamaica,  and  back  in 
the  same  order  to  St.  Thomas,  distributing  the  out  mails 
and  collecting  the  home  correspondence. 

Another  steamer  leaves  St.  Thomas  twice  a  month,  and 
proceeds  to  St.  Kitts,  Antigua,  Guadalupe,  Dominica, 
Martinique,  St.  Lucia,  Barbadoes  and  Demerara,  and 
returns  in  the  same  order.  Another  branch  steamer, 
connecting  with  the  last,  proceeds  from  Barbadoes 
twice  a  month,  to  St.  Vincent,  Carriacou,  Granada, 
Trinidad,  and  Tobago,  and  back  to  Barbadoes,  by  the 
same  route,  in  time  to  connect  with  the  steamer  for  St. 
Thomas. 

Another  steamer   leaves  Jamaica  once  a  month  for 


47 

Honduras,  and  back  to  Jamaica,  connecting  with  that 
from  Jamaica  to  St.  Thomas. 

Still  another  leaves  St.  Thomas  once  a  month  for 
Nassau,  and  back  to  St.  Thomas. 

On  the  Brazil  route,  steamers  belonging  to  the  same 
company,  leave  Southampton  once  a  month,  and  proceed 
to  Lisbon,  (Portugal,)  Madeira,  Teneriffe,  St.  Vincent 9 
(Cape  de  Verdes,)  Pernambuco,  Bahia  and  Rio  de  Janeiro 
with  the  out  mails,  distributing  them  and  receiving  others 
at  each  of  the  above-named  places. 

From  Rio  de  Janeiro  another  steamer,  proceeding  in 
connection,  continues  on  to  Monte  Video  and  Buenos 
Ayres.  Returning,  the  same  route  is  observed,  and 
mails  taken  up  at  every  port  for  England.  The  time  out 
is  twenty-nine  days,  and  home  thirty-one  days,  to  and  from 
Rio,  and  forty  days  out,  forty-three  home,  to  and  from 
Buenos  Ayres.  Every  connection  on  all  of  the  routes 
being  made  with  the  utmost  regularity  and  punctuality. 

32.  The  ramifications  of  these  lines  can  best  be  under 
stood  from  the  following  list  of  the  places  at  which  the 
steamers  touch : 


WEST 

INDIA    LINE. 

BRAZIL    LINE. 

Antigua, 

Jamaica, 

Pernambuco,                  Monte  Video, 

Aspinwall, 

Martinique, 

Bahia,                            Buenos  Ayres. 

Barbadoes, 

Porto  Rico, 

Rio  de  Janeiro, 

Carriacou, 

St.  Kitts, 

Carthagena, 

St.  Lucia, 

CONNECTING  WITH    BRAZILIAN  LINE, 

Demerara, 

St.  Thomas, 

TOUCHING    AT 

Dominica, 

St.  Vincent, 

Para,                              Macieo, 

Granada, 

Santa  Martha, 

Maranham,                    Bahia, 

Greytown, 

Tampico, 

Ceara,                            Rio  de  Janeiro, 

Guadalupe, 
Havana, 

Tobago, 
Trinadad, 

Parahiba,                       St.  Catharine's, 
Rio  Grande  del  Norte,  Rio  Grande  del  Sud, 

Honduras, 

Vera  Cruz. 

Pernambuco,                 Monte  Video, 

Jacmel, 

Buenos  Ayres,              Asuncion. 

48 

The  British  line  on  the  west  coast  of  South  America, 
completes  the  circuit  by  touching  at  the  following  places 
on  the  Pacific  coast : 

Panama,          Huanchaco,  Chusa,  Iquique,  Coquimbo,  Lota, 

Guayaquil,      Callao,  Tslay,  Cobija,  Valparaiso,  Valdivia, 

Paita,  Chincha  Islands,  Arequipa,  Caldera,  Constitution,  Port  Montt, 

Lambayeque,  Pisco,  Arica,  Huasco,  Tulcahuano,  San  Carlos. 

The  magnitude  of  the  English  Steam  Ship  service  - 
calls  up  another  feature  worthy  the  attention  of  the 
United  States.  It  is  the  amount  of  material  used,  of 
which  iron  forms  a  large  part,  and  the  economical  prin 
ciples  to  which  the  science  of  building  Iron  Steam  Ships, 
particularly  propellers,  has  been  reduced  in  England. 
In  this  matter  we  are  far  behind.  Should  there  be  an 
extensive  demand  created  for  vessels  of  that  character 
by  the  opening  of  new  ocean  routes  under  the  patronage 
of  the  government  of  the  United  States,  the  consumption 
of  our  iron  and  the  employment  of  our  mechanical  labor 
would  be  vastly  increased,  and  we  would  soon  compete 
with  England,  not  only  in  the  number  of  our  steam 
ships,  but  successfully  rival  her  in  their  economy  and 
superiority  of  construction,  thus  giving  to  our  home 
material  and  home  labor  the  increased  demand  so  long 
sought  for. 


ENGLISH    STEAMERS     RUN    TO    OVER    SIXTY     DIFFERENT    SPANISH 
AMERICAN    PORTS. 

We  here  see  that  English  Mail  Steamers  run  to  over 
sixty  different  Spanish  American  and  South  American 
ports ;  and  yet  American  Mail  Steamers  touch  at  only 


49 

four.*  Have  similar  facilities  ever  been  provided  for  the 
extension,  in  any  direction,  of  American  trade  ?  Were 
these  American  routes,  with  American  steamers  touching 
every  month,  or  twice  a  month,  at  these  sixty  different 
ports,  how  vast  would  be  the  influence  upon  the  com 
merce  and  upon  the  political  power  of  the  United  States  ! 
33.  The  same  Committee,  in  the  Report  just  quoted, 
proceed  to  say:  "Your  committee  are  also  of  opinion 
that  the  time  has  come  when  the  United  States  should 
watch  the  political  condition  of  all  the  countries  on  this 
continent  with  jealous  care.  Interests  of  vast  magnitude 
are  involved  in  the  rapid  changes  incident  to  the  times. 
The  spirit  of  development  in  material  wealth  and  power, 


*  From  Panama  northward,  along  the  Central  American  coast,  communication  has 
been  opened  since  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1856,  by  the  far-sighted  enterprise  and 
public  spirit  of  the  Panama  Railroad  Company,  who  have  established  a  line  of  steam 
ers  making  monthly  trips  from  Panama  to  the  ports  of  Punta  Arenas  in  Costa  Rica. 
Realejo  in  Nicaragua,  La  Union.  La  Libertad  ind  Acajutla  in  San  Salvador,  and  San 
Jose  in  Guatemala.  Through  the  agency  of  these  Steamers  not  only  has  mail  com 
munication  been  established  where  before  no  facilities  whatever  existed,  but  an  entire 
revolution  in  the  commerce  of  these  states  has  been  effected. 

Their  trade,  which  formerly  passed  exclusively  by  the  tedious  route  of  Cape  Horn, 
and  was  entirely  transacted  with  Europe,  now  has  been  turned  via  the  Isthmus  of 
Panama,  and  there  passes  (at  least  so  far  as  transportation  is  concerned)  through 
American  hands.  Its  destination,  however,  is  still  to  England  :  but  who  can  doubt 
that  with  the  superior  facilities  for  communication  from  Aspinwall  with  the  United 
States,  and  the  great  saving  of  time  that  can  be  effected  by  procuring  frequent  supplies 
in  New  York  or  other  Atlantic  cities  of  the  United  States,  rather  than  crossing  the 
ocean  to  Europe,  that  this  trade  will  soon  be  diverted,  in  a  great  measure,  into  Ameri 
can  channels  and  find  its  destination  in  the  United  States.  But  while  English  Steamers 
running  in  a  precisely  similar  trade  south  of  Panama,  are  liberally  supported  by  the 
Government  at  home,  and  their  vast  benefit  to  the  commerce  of  Great  Britain  thus  per 
manently  secured,  our  own  Government  has  hitherto  failed  to  extend  even  the  slightest 
aid  or  encouragement  towards  this  important  American  line,  or  hold  out  any  induce 
ment  whatever  towards  its  permanent  maintenance. 

7 


50 

and  in  social  improvement,  admonishes  us  to  be  pre 
pared  to  dispute,  at  no  distant  day,  a  trade  now  forming 
and  expanding  on  this  continent,  which  is  destined  to 
rival  that  of  the  old  world. 

"  Our  present  position  indicates  how  essentially  we 
must  conform,  and  to  a  certain  extent  control,  the  destiny 
of  the  new  world  :  a  control  that  we  will  exercise,  rather 
by  the  peaceful  extension  of  our  commerce  and  civiliza 
tion,  than  by  conquest  or  usurpation," 


INCREASE  OF  OUR  TRADE  WITH  CUBA     SINCE  STEAM    COMMUNICATION. 

34.  Cuba  is  the  only  one  of  the  Spanish  American 
countries  which  has,  as  yet,  been  made  at  all  accessible 
to  the  United  States  by  steam  communication ;  and  this 
only  as  a  stopping  place  for  steamers  running  in  our  coast 
wise  trade. 

Yet  how  marvelous  have  already  been  the  results ! 
No  more  forcible  argument  for  the  immediate  extension 
of  Government  aid  to  secure  the  establishment  of  the  pro 
posed  line  to  Mexico,  could  be  presented. 

American  Steamers  commenced  touching  at  Havana, 
about  1850.  Our  trade  with  Cuba  for  that  year  was 
$1 5,232,695.  Since  then,  under  the  influence  of  frequent 
and  rapid  communication,  it  has  risen  until  it  is  now  (for 
the  year  ending  Jan.  30,  1858)  $41,648,037,  or  an  annual 
increase  has  been  gained  in  eight  years  of  over  $26,000,000. 


51 


The  following  figures,  taken  from  the  United  States  Treas 
ury  Reports,  mill  show  our  trade  with  Cuba  at  three 
periods  before  and  after  the  introduction  of  steam  commu 
nication  : 


Years. 

Exports  to  Cuba. 

Imports  from  Cuba. 

Total  trade  U.  S. 
with  Cuba. 

1821 

$4,540,680 

$6,584,849 

$11,125,529 

1831 

4.893,842 

8,371,797 

1  3,265,639 

1840 

6,310,515 

9,835,477 

16,145,992 

1850* 

4,990,297 

10292,398 

15,282,695 

1853 

6,287,959 

18,585,755 

24,573,714 

1856 

7,809,263 

24,435,693 

32  244,956 

1858 

14,433,191 

27,214,846 

41,648,037 

BASIS  FOR  AN  INCREASE  OF  TRADE   WITH  MEXICO. 

35.  Thus, by  the  extension  of  even  moderate  facilities 
for  mail  and  passage  communications,  our  trade  with 
Cuba,  a  country  of  but  1,500,000  inhabitants,  and  an  area 
of  only  47,000  square  miles,  has  risen  from  $15,000,000 
per  annum  to  over  $40,000,000  per  annum;  while 
our  trade  with  Mexico,  a  country  that  contains  a  popula 
tion  of  over  8,000,000,  and  an  area  of  more  than  700,000 
square  miles,  though  once  largely  exceeding  our  trade 
with  Cuba,  has,  in  the  entire  absence  of  steam  facilities, 
become  reduced  to  less  than  $9,000,000,  and  now  ranks, 
in  amount,  not  one-quarter  of  that  with  Cuba. 

True,  Mexico  has  been  in  a  disturbed  condition  ;  but 
would  she  long  remain  so,  if  the  proper  facilities  were 


First  introduction  of  Steam  Communication. 


52 

provided  for  more  frequent  and  regular  intercourse  be 
tween  her  people  and  those  of  the  United  States,  and  the 
means  afforded  for  the  extension  of  our  commerce  there, 
and  the  full  and  free  introduction  of  American  business 
enterprise  ? 

Mexico  produces  every  thing  that  we  import  from 
Cuba,  and  of  an  equal  quality.  The  extent  of  her  pro 
duction  is  only  limited  by  the  market  afforded.  Estab 
lish  the  proper  means  of  communication,  and  her  exports 
of  the  great  tropical  staples  would  be  increased  almost 
indefinitely :  this,  in  addition  to  her  vast  production  of 
precious  metals,  and  unlimited  capacity  to  increase  that 
production.  In  return,  her  eight  millions  of  inhabitants 
can  consume  tenfold  the  amount  they  now  receive  of 
our  manufactures,  agricultural  products,  machinery,  and 
general  merchandise. 

The  fact  has  not  been  duly  considered  that  while 
Mexico  produces  every  article  that  we  import  from 
Cuba,  she  has  over  five  times  the  population  to  consume 
our  manufactures  and  products. 

36.  For  the  year  ending  June  30th,  185S,  our  exports 
to  Cuba  were  only  $14,433,191,  while  our  imports  were 
$27,214,846 ;  and  in  the  previous  year,  owing  to  the  ex 
traordinary  price  of  sugar,  the  balance  of  trade  was  over 
$30,000,000  in  favor  of  Cuba,  and  against  the  United 
States. 

This  could  not  be,  if  our  trade  with  Mexico  was  proper 
ly  encouraged.  Our  imports  would  then  be  divided  be 
tween  the  two  countries,  while  our  exports  to  Mexico 
alone  would  more  than  cover  the  entire  returns  of  the 
present  trade  with  Cuba. 


THE    TRADE    OF    MEXICO    IN    COTTON    GOODS    MIGHT    BE     CONTROLLED 
BY    NEW    ENGLAND. 

37.  With  the  necessary  facilities  of  communication, 
and  proper  encouragement  and  protection,  on  the  part 
of  our  government  (and  perhaps  some  judicious  modi 
fications    in    the    present  Mexican    Tariff,  secured   by 
treaty  stipulations),  the  cotton  goods  of  New  England 
might  and  would  almost  exclusively  control  the  markets 
of  Mexico.      It  is  our  neglect  of  this  market  only  that 
has  excluded  us  from  it. 

Of  the  importations  into  Mexico,  from  Great  Britain, 
for  a  period  of  seven  years — 1840  to  1846 — amounting 
to  a  total  of  $82,246,705,  manufactures  of  cotton  formed 
over  $57,000,000.  Manufactures  of  Linen  were  over 
$12,000,000,  leaving  only  some  $12,000,000  or  $13,000,- 
000  as  the  aggregate  value  of  all  other  articles. 

Probably,  the  sum  total  of  cotton  goods  consumed  in 
the  Republic  was  even  double  the  legal  importation 
given  above,  for  this  article  enters  more  largely  than 
any  other  into  the  contraband  trade  of  that  country. 

American  cotton  goods  have  been  and  are  still  pre 
ferred  in  Mexico  to  the  British,  for  their  intrinsic  superi 
ority,  particularly  in  the  grades  most  used  by  the  laboring 
classes.  They  have  only  been  driven  out  of  the  mar 
ket  by  the  management' of  English  merchants,  backed 
by  diplomatic  support. 

38.  Referring  to  this  fact,  our  efficient  and  able  Consul 
at  Tampico,  Franklin  Chase,  Esq.,  in  a  letter  to  the  De 
partment  of  State  at  Washington,  under  date  of  Decem 
ber  31st,  1S54,  says: 


54 

"  Previously  to  the  year  1837,  the  principal  markets  in 
this  Republic  were  supplied  with  the  coarse  cotton  fab 
rics  of  the  United  States,  from  which  our  countrymen 
derived  a  lucrative  business  :  but  the  envy  of  British 
Diplomacy,  acting  in  concert  with  the  British  merchants, 
suggested  to  the  Minister  of  Finance  a  scheme  which 
excluded  all  such  goods  from  the  Mexican  markets  by  a 
limitation  of  thirty  threads  to  the  square  of  one-quarter 
of  an  inch  Spanish.  The  British  Minister  knew  that  the 
manufactories  in  the  United  States  were  not  prepared  to 
weave  such  fine  textures,  and,  in  substitution  of  the 
American  goods,  the  Mexican  markets  would  be  sup 
plied  by  the  finer  fabrics  from  Great  Britain." 

Though  these  restrictions  are  now  abolished,  we  have 
as  yet  taken  no  steps  to  regain  this  trade  ;  and  in  fact 
our  merchants  and  manufacturers  of  cotton  goods  who 
might  desire  to  again  make  shipments  to  Mexico,  find 
that  the  English  merchant  has  now  not  only  possession  of 
this  traffic,  but  is  further  strengthened  in  his  position  by 
having  regular  and  efficient  means  of  communication 
with  England,  and  a  safe  and  reliable  means  of  making 
his  returns  in  specie  ;  while  we,  on  the  other  hand,  are 
entirely  without  either  of  these  facilities,  and  even  at 
this  day  must  depend,  for  a  considerable  portion  of  the 
year,  upon  the  chance  opportunities  of  sailing  vessels  for 
sending  or  receiving  correspondence  and  making  returns. 
The  United  States  Consul  at  Mazatlan,  on  the  Pacific, 
writing  to  the  Department,  on  the  24th  April,  1857,  says, 
"  United  States  domestic  goods  find  ready  sale  here  on 
account  of  their  superior  quality  ;  but  the  trade  is  entire 
ly  in  the  hands  of  European  merchants." 


55 

Certainly  this  state  of  things  cannot  be  allowed  to 
continue.  With  our  fabrics  preferred  and  only  Eng 
lish  enterprise  to  contend  against,  we  cannot  long  al 
low  ourselves  to  be  shut  out  from  so  attractive  a  field  of 
commerce  through  default  simply  of  means  of  communi 
cation. 

39.  Our  Consul  at  Tampico,  in  another  valuable  com 
munication  to  the  State  Department  (Commercial  Re 
turns,  vol.  3,  p.  415),  says  :  "  Our  commerce  (with  this 
port)  has  dwindled  down  from  the  annual  import  amount 
of  $1,444,600  to  $260,369  :  the  former  being  the  amount 
of  imports  from  the  United  States  during  the  year  1837, 
and  the  latter  the  amount  of  imports  during  the  present 
year. 

The  exports  hence  to  the  United  States  during  the 
year  1837  amounted  to  $1,283,157,  whereas  the  returns 
for  the  present  year  only  amount  to  the  sum  of  $208,571. 

English  trade,  however,  has  constantly  increased. 

In  giving  this  summary  report  of  our  commercial  af 
fairs  with  this  country,  I  am  impressed  with  the  belief 
that  this  is  a  favorable  moment  to  bring  our  trade  back 
to  its  former  importance  by  a  renewal  of  negotiations  for 
admission  of  articles  the  growth  and  manufacture  of  the 
United  States  under  low  rates  of  duties,  both  import  and 
consumption,  and  granting  to  Mexico  in  return  such  fa 
vors  as  may  be  found  advisable. 

A  serious  drawback  to  commercial  intercourse  between 
this  port  and  the  United  States  is  the  want  of  direct 
steam  conveyances.  The  geographical  position  of  Tam 
pico  has  many  advantages  over  any  other  port  in  the  Re 
public,  in  consequence  of  its  proximity  to  San  Luis 


56 

Potosi,  where  goods  can  be  sent  at  50  per  cent,  less  in 
the  charges  of  freight  than  from  Vera  Cruz,  San  Luis 
being  the  key  to  all  the  principal  places  in  the  interior 
States,  whose  commerce  is  supplied  with  foreign  goods, 
and  the  spot  where  the  buyers  meet  from  the  States  of 
Durango,  Jalisco,  Guanajuato,  and  Zacatecas,  these  being 
the  principal  mining  States  in  the  Republic." 


IMPORTANCE  OF  THE  TRADE  OF  TAMPICO  AND  VERA  CRUZ. 

40.  To  show  the  importance  of  the  trade  of  merely  the 
two  ports  of  Tampico  and  Vera  Cruz,  and  how  completely 
that  trade  is  controlled  by  the  English,  through  the  facil 
ities  afforded  by  their  regular  mail  packet  steamers,  the 
following  figures  of  the  commerce  of  those  places  are 
given.  The  total  foreign  trade  of  the  port  of  Tampico 
for  the  year  ending  December  31,  1856,  was  as  follows : 


From  the  United  States,      .         $653,451 
"     other  Countries,  2,191,640 


Total,         .          $2,845,091 


To  the  United  States,       .         $613,349 
'•  other  Countries,          .         3,949,488 


Total,          .  $4,562,837 


Of  the  above  exports,  $3,705,353  was  in  specie,  shipped 
by  the  English  Steam  Mail  Packets. 

The  total  trade  for  the  year  ending  Sept.  30th,  1857, 
was : 


From  the  United  States,      .         $327,686 
"     other  Countries,          .        1,324,672 


Total,         .          $1,652,358 


To  the  United  States,      .         $451,628 
"  other  Countries,  3,530.859 


Total,         .         $3,982,487 


Of  the  Exports  for  this  year  $3,422,711  was  in  specie 
shipped  by  the  English  mail  steamers. 


57 

The  trade  of  the  Port  of  Vera  Cruz,  as  given  in  the 
many  elaborate  and  valuable  tables  communicated  to  the 
State  Department  by  our  late  indefatigable  Consul  there, 
Col.  John  T.  Pickett — than  whom  no  one  has  taken  a 
deeper  interest  in  the  improvement  of  our  commercial 
relations  with  that  country — presents  even  more  forcibly 
our  own  unfavorable  position,  and  the  advantages  pos 
sessed  by  the  English. 

For  eight  months,  ending  Sept.  30th,  1856,  the  exports 
from  the  Port  of  Vera  Cruz  by  the  English  steam  mail 
Packets  were  as  follows : 

Specie,  .         .         .         $6,235,040 

Cochineal,  .         .         .           183,600 

Jalap,  .         .         .                  24,000 

Vanilla,  .         .                      21,600 


Total,       .         .        $6,464,240 

The  exports  to  the  United  States  for  the  same  period 
were : 

Sundry  national  products,         .         .         .         $213,216 
Specie, 858,443 

Total,  ....       $1,071,659 

The  entire  trade  of  the  Port  of  Vera  Cruz  with  the 
United  States  for  the  year  1856,  Imports  and  Exports, 
was  $3,868,255 

The  entire  trade  with  England  for  the  same  year  was 
$13,559,006. 

Col.  Pickett,  in  a  letter  to  the  Department,  April  15, 
1857,  says  : 
8 


58 

"  The  duties  received  at  this  Custom  House  during  the 
year  ending  December  31,  1856,  amount,  according  to  a 
statement  just  published,  to  $6,127,060  :  of  this  sum  I 
doubt  if  zV  accrued  from  American  trade." 


CAPACITY  OF  MEXICO  TO   SUSTAIN  A  LARGE   FOREIGN    COMMERCE. 

41 .  The  capacity  of  Mexico  to  at  once  sustain  a  large 
and  profitable  foreign  commerce  is  much  greater  than  is 
generally  supposed. 

The  population  of  the  Republic,  according  to  the  latest 
and  best  authenticated  returns,  is  now  over  eight  mil 
lions.  (8, -283,08^.)  This  is  divided  according  to  races, 
nearly  as  follows  : 

Of  pure  European  blood,  one  fifth — or  say       .         .         1,656  620 
Of  the  native  or  Indigenous  race,  T4j — or  say         .  2,208,824 

Of  mixed  European  and  Indigenous  blood,  T\ — or  say       4,417,644 

8,283,088 

The  total  area  of  the  Republic  is  766,482  square  miles  ; 
giving  an  average  density  of  10.8  to  the  square  mile. 
This,  it  will  be  observed,  is  a  greater  density  of  popula 
tion  than  that  of  the  United  States  ;  is  one  and  one  half 
times  that  of  Canada ;  nearly  twice  that  of  Chili ;  over 
four  times  that  of  Brazil ;  and  more  than  three  times  the 
average  for  the  whole  of  South  America. 

This  population,  though  not  so  far  progressed  in  social 
development  as  to  have  become  accustomed  to  all  the 
varied  wants  of  more  advanced  countries,  is  a  population 
that  has  been  devoted  for  centuries  to  mining  pursuits, 


59 

and  which  consequently  possesses  all  that  extravagance 
of  habit,  fondness  for  display  and  unthriftiness  of  dispo 
sition,  which  is  so  proverbially  engendered  among  a 
people  chiefly  devoted  to  such  pursuits.  Add  to  this  the 
natural  tendency  towards  extravagance  of  the  Spanish 
character,  and  the  reflecting  mind  will  at  once  perceive 
that  the  consumption  of  foreign  merchandise  by  such  a 
people  will  be  limited  only  by  the  supply  afforded  to 
them,  and  their  ability  to  buy.  They  will  consume  fully 
to  the  extent  of  their  resources. 

This  disposition  bears  the  more  exclusively  upon  the 
foreign  trade  of  Mexico,  from  the  fact  that  domestic 
manufacturers  in  that  country  are  as  yet  in  their  infancy, 
and  under  the  most  favorable  circumstances,  cannot  for 
a  long  time  compete  with  those  of  either  the  United 
States  or  European  countries :  consequently,  for  all  ex 
cept  the  more  primitive  articles  of  consumption,  their 
entire  dependence  must  be  exclusively  upon  the  supply 
received  from  abroad. 

The  limited  means  of  communication  that  exist  with 
Mexico,  and  consequent  irregularity,  and  high  cost  of 
transportation  both  to  that  country  from  abroad,  and 
from  the  coast  to  the  interior,  have  so  added  to  the  cost 
of  foreign  merchandise,  that  the  resources  of  the  country 
have  been  exhausted  in  paying  for  only  moderate  impor 
tations. 

By  throwing  this  trade,  however,  into  the  hands  of  the 
United  States,  and  introducing  American  business  enter 
prise  into  Mexico,  and  by  increasing  the  facilities  of  com 
munication,  and  maintaining  them  with  regularity  and 
cheapness,  these  expenses  will  be  so  much  lessened,  that 


60 

the  present  production  of  silver,  airl  other  products  suit 
able  for  export,  will  be  sufficient  to  pay  for  probably 
double  the  quantity  of  merchandise  that  Mexico  now 
consumes.  This,  without  any  increase  of  industry  on 
the  part  of  her  people. 

Besides  this,  the  introduction  of  many  of  the  produc 
tions  of  modern  inventions,  and  larger  supplies  of  gen 
eral  merchandise  at  reduced  rates,  will  present  tempta 
tions  too  strong  to  be  resisted  by  a  people  naturally  so 
lavish  in  their  expenditures ;  and  the  desire  to  avail 
themselves  of  these  new  articles  and  fuller  supplies  thus 
placed  within  their  reach,  will  lead  to  an  increased  ac 
tivity  in  the  pursuit  of  the  means  wherewith  to  gratify 
their  inclinations 

The  remedy  for  both  of  these  difficulties  lies  with  the 
Government  of  the  United  States.  It  is  in  its  power  to 
at  once  tranquilize  Mexico  and  open  her  vast  trade  and 
resources  fully  to  the  people  of  the  United  States. 

In  doing  this  by  the  friendly  means  of  commercial  in 
tercourse  and  commercial  treaties  guaranteed  by  the 
direct  but  peaceful  intervention  of  our  Government  in 
favor  of  the  cause  of  order  and  Constitutional  Govern 
ment  in  Mexico,  we  shall  satisfy  the  demands  of  human 
ity,  incur  the  gratitude  of  the  people  of  that  country, 
enlarge  our  commerce,  and  avoid  untold  complications 
in  the  political  future  of  both  Mexico  and  the  United 
States, 

42.  The  present  foreign  Importations  of  Mexico 
($26,000,000,  population  8,233,088)  are  at  the  rate  of  but 
$3. 14  per  capita. 

This  is  probably  not  one  quarter  of  the  consumption  of 


61 

foreign  effects  which  might  reasonably  be  expected  from 
a  people  consuming  so  freely  according  to  their  means, 
and  manufacturing  so  little,  as  the  people  of  Mexico. 

Canada  imports  at  the  rate  of  $19.16  per  head  ;  Cuba, 
$27.29;  Chili,  $12.70;  Brazil,  $8.96;  and  the  whole  of 
South  America,  $6.13  per  head 

The  foreign  Importations  of  the  United  States  were, 
for  the  year  ending  Jan,  30th,  1858,  $282,613,150,  and 
re-export  of  foreign  products,  $30,886,142.  Our  popula 
tion  is  estimated  at  30,500,000.  This  gives  a  total  im 
portation  of  $9.26,  and  an  average  consumption  of 
foreign  merchandise  of  $8.25  per  capita.  But  so  large 
a  proportion  of  the  wants  of  the  people  of  the  United 
States  are  supplied  by  the  products  of  our  own  manu 
factories,  that  the  consumption  of  foreign  effects  is  natu 
rally  less  than  the  proportion  in  countries  more  entirely 
dependent  upon  supplies  from  abroad ;  except  as  con 
sumption  and  trade  in  a  measure  keep  pace  with  the 
facilities  of  internal  and  international  communication, 
and  the  progress  of  civilization,  industry,  enterprise  and 
refinement.  The  introduction  of  these  elements  of  pros 
perity  into  a  country  where  they  are  still  to  a  great  ex 
tent  wanting,  will  therefore  form  the  basis  of  greatly  in 
creased  developments  in  its  foreign  trade,  and  must  be 
taken  into  account  in  considering  the  future  trade,  which 
will  grow  out  of  the  increased  state  of  social  progress, 
which  from  this  time  forward  may  be  reasonably  looked 
for  in  Mexico,  under  the  stimulus  of  American  enterprise 
and  intercourse.  With  a  trade  equal  in  proportion  to  her 
population  to  that  of  Brazil,  Mexico  would  annually  im 
port  $74,000,000  of  foreign  merchandise. 


62 

With  importations  at  the  same  rate — in  proportion  to 
population — as  those  of  Chili,  she  would  consume  over 
$105,000,000  per  annum :  and  at  the  same  rate  as  Cuba, 
she  would  require  over  $225,000,000. 

These  last-named  countries  have  a  population  in  no 
respect  likely  to  consume  more  largely — under  equal 
facilities  of  communication — than  that  of  Mexico  ;  there 
fore  we  see  what  the  trade  of  Mexico  might  become, 
even  under  the  application  of  merely  ordinary  means  of 
development,  and  aside  from  the  causes  which  have  been 
alluded  to  as  so  strongly  operating  to  increase  her  pro 
portionate  consumption  over  that  of  a  more  thrifty  peo 
ple  or  a  more  largely  manufacturing  country. 

These  causes,  it  must  again  be  repeated,  are  unusual 
and  important,  and  should  be  fully  considered  when  es 
timating  what  the  commerce  of  Mexico  may  become 
under  proper  development. 


INTERIOR    COMMERCE    OF    MEXICO. 

43.  The  present  interior  commerce  of  Mexico  is  es 
timated  by  Senor  Lerdo  de  Tejada,  the  always  reliable 
Mexican  statistician,  to  be  upwards  of  $400,000,000. 

That  this  is  not  an  exaggerated  estimate  is  proved  by 
the  fact  that  the  merchandise  which  legally  passed  the 
internal  custom-houses  of  only  the  six  cities  of  Puebla, 
Mexico,  Queretaro,  Guanajuato,  San  Luis  Potosi,  and 
Guadalajara,  from  the  years  1842  to  1846,  according  to 
returns  published  by  the  Juntas  de  Fomento  of  those 
cities,  amounted  to  over  $40,000,000 


63 


VALUE  OF  REAL  ESTATE. 

44.  The  number  of  landed  estates  of  the  Republic  is 
13,000,  the  value  of  which  is  estimated  by  the  same  re 
liable  authority  at  $720,000,000,  and  town  property  at 
$635,000,000.  This  gives  a  total  valuation  of  real 
estate  at  $1,355,000,000,  or  an  average  of  $163.50  per 
capita. 

The  valuation  of  the  United  States  in  similar  property, 
notwithstanding  all  our  vast  internal  development,  is  esti 
mated  at  only  $404  per  head,  or  two  and  one  half  times 
that  of  Mexico. 


MANUFACTURES. 

45.  The  annual  value  of  the  manufactures  of  Mexico, 
of  all  kinds,  is  estimated  by  Senor  Lerdo  de  Tejada  at 
$90,000,000  to  $100,000,000;  though  this  estimate  in 
cludes  some  articles  which  in  the  United  States  would 
be  classed  as  products.  This  is  but  $12.07  per  head, 
while  that  of  the  United  States  is  $33.13  for  each  inhab 
itant. 


MINERAL     PRODUCTIONS. 

46.  The  mineral  productions  of  Mexico  are  the  present 
chief  support  of  her  foreign  commerce. 

The  yield  of  silver  is  estimated  by  the  best  Mexican 
authorities  to  be  upwards  of  $23,000,000  per  annum,  and 
of  gold,  from  one  to  two  millions. 


64 

The  amount  of  gold  and  silver  coined  in  1^6  was 
$19,870,906.  The  balance  of  the  production  is  mostly 
illegally  exported  in  the  shape  of  bars  from  the  Pacific 
coast,  to  avoid  the  coinage  and  export  duties  of  seven 
per  cent. 

The  great  mineral  wealth  of  Mexico  has  been  so  thor 
oughly  demonstrated,  and  is  so  generally  understood,  that 
no  one  will  doubt  her  capacity  under  an  era  of  prosperi 
ty  to  produce  twice  or  three  times  her  present  amount 
of  silver.  This  alone  is  sufficient  basis  upon  which  to 
predicate  a  vast  future  increase  of  trade.  In  addition, 
recent  explorations  have  brought  to  light  on  her  Pacific 
coast,  a  copper  district  possessing  all  the  characteristics 
of  inexhaustible  supply  and  great  richness  of  the  copper 
districts  of  Chili,  and  exceeding  those  districts  in  extent 
and  accessibility. 

Developed  as  this  new  source  of  wealth  might  be  un 
der  the  application  of  American  enterprise,  this  mineral 
would  probably  add  upwards  of  $10,000,000  per  annum 
to  the  national  products  for  exportation. 


AGRICULTURE. 


47.  But  the  agricultural  productions  of  Mexico,  how 
ever,  are  destined  hereafter  to  enter  more  largely  into 
her  foreign  commerce  than  even  the  products  of  her 
mineral  veins. 

The  annual  value  of  the  entire  agricultural  products 
of  Mexico  is  already  estimated  at  over  $250,000,000. 

Of  this  only  about  $5,000,000  or  $6,000,000  enter  as 
yet  into  the  exportations  of  the  country. 


65 

The  present  production  is  limited  to  the  demand  for 
home  consumption,  because  there  is  no  other  market  af 
forded  :  let  a  demand  from  abroad  be  created  by  an  en 
larged  commerce  and  the  establishment  of  means  of 
transportation,  and  the  production  would  at  once  rise 
fourfold. 

Nothing  will  tend  more  to  encourage  such  a  demand 
than  the  presence  of  regular  mail  and  passenger  transit 
facilities. 

The  present  entire  agricultural  production  of  Mexico 
is  at  the  rate  of  only  $30  per  head,  while  that  of  Cuba 
for  exportation  alone  is  nearly  as  much  per  head  as  the 
entire  product  of  Mexico,  including  that  consumed  at 
home. 

The  coffee  of  Mexico  is  equal  to  the  best  produced  in 
any  part  of  the  world.  A  production  equal  to  that  of 
Brazil  would  give  Mexico  an  amount  to  export,  in  this 
one  article  alone,  of  over  $30,000,000  per  annum. 

The  sugar-cane  of  Mexico  is  as  remarkable  for  its 
quality  and  yield,  and  the  climate  is  as  well  adapted  to 
its  cultivation  as  that  of  Cuba.  The  sugar  lands  of 
Mexico,  which  are  found  throughout  the  entire  Gulf 
States,  along  the  Pacific  and  in  the  interior,  are  in  no 
way  inferior  to  those  of  Cuba. 

The  present  production  of  the  State  of  Mexico  is  about 
25,000,000  Ibs.,  and  of  the  other  States,  in  the  aggregate, 
say  twice  as  much  more,  or  in  all  75,000,000,  per  an 
num.  None  is  now  exported,  though  in  1817  the  exports 
of  sugar  from  the  port  of  Vera  Cruz  alone  were 
$1,458,330. 


66 

With  a  production  equal  to  that  of  Cuba,  Mexico's 
commerce  in  this  one  item  would  amount  to  upwards  of 
$40,000,000  per  annum. 

Tobacco  is  already  cultivated  with  success  in  many 
parts  of  the  Republic,  and  might  become  an  article  of 
most  extensive  exportation.  Its  cultivation  and  sale  has 
heretofore  been  a  government  monopoly  but  is  now  free. 
The  income  derived  by  the  government  from  this  source 
has  been  as  high  as  $2,000,000  per  annum. 

Indigo  at  one  time  formed  a  very  considerable  item  of 
the  exportations  from  Vera  Cruz,  and  might  again  enter 
largely  into  the  foreign  commerce  of  the  country. 

Cochineal  is  now  largely  exported,  and  with  proper  en 
couragement  the  amount  could  be  rendered  very  impor 
tant.  According  to  an  official  document  the  production 
of  this  one  article  in  the  State  of  Oajaca  has  amounted 
to  over  $1,000,000  per  annum,  on  an  average,  for  the 
last  hundred  years.  Mexico  enjoys  almost  a  monopoly 
of  this  product. 

Vanilla  and  Cacao  also  fall  under  the  same  head.  The 
consumption  of  the  latter  article  in  the  United  States  is 
largely  increasing,  and  the  supply  must  be  derived  main 
ly  from  the  Mexican  States. 

48.  In  fine,  it  may  be  said  that  every  branch  of  indus 
try  in  Mexico  is  susceptible  of  immense  and  immediate 
development,  and  that  in  all  the  elements  that  enter  into 
and  constitute  a  basis  for  a  reliable  and  profitable  trade, 
she  stands  to-day  in  relations  towards  the  United  States 
more  attractive  and  more  desirable  than  any  other  coun 
try  on  the  face  of  the  globe. 

To  secure  and  to  develop  this  inviting  commerce,  our 


67 

first  step  must  be  to  provide  full  and  reliable  means  of 
communication  between  the  two  countries — in  no  other 
way  can  this  trade  be  diverted  from  its  present  Euro 
pean  channels,  and  by  no  other  means  can  it  be  raised  to 
those  important  proportions  of  which  we  have  seen  it  is 
capable. 


VIEWS  OF  BUSINESS  MEN  WITH  REFERENCE  TO  COMMUNICATION  WITH 

MEXICO. 

49.  The  views  entertained  by  commercial  men  in  the 
United  States  who  are  at  all  familiar  with  this  trade,  re 
garding  the  great  importance  and  general  usefulness  of 
establishing  more  frequent  and  reliable  steam  communi 
cation  with  Mexico,  cannot  be  more  ably  and  graphically 
set  forth,  than  in  the  following  extract  from  the  private 
correspondence  of  a  gentleman  who  has,  for  more  than 
twenty  years,  occupied  a  leading  commercial  position  in 
New  Orleans,  and  whose  large  experience  and  great 
business  sagacity  give  to  his  opinions  unusual  weight. 

Speaking  of  the  vast  advantage  that  will  accrue  to  the 
United  States  from  joint  commercial  developments  with 
Mexico,  in  diverting  the  Mexican  trade  to  this  country, 
he  says :  "  The  proposed  line  once  in  full  operation, 
nearly  all  the  coin  exported  from  Mexico  must  come  by 
way  of  the  United  States.  The  English,  French,  and 
German  merchants  can  then  make  their  European  remit 
tances  in  about  one-third  less  time  than  is  now  required. 
The  purchase  and  remittance  of  American  bills  will  be 
facilitated  and  largely  increased,  and  an  entirely  new  di 
rection  be  given  to  the  whole  course  of  Mexican  trade  ; 


68 

and  New  York,  by  this  and  similar  means  may  soon  be 
come  the  centre  of  exchange  for  the  trade  of  the  entire 
Continent. 

"The  two  Governments  of  the  United  States  and  Mexico 
could  do  nothing  that  would  more  surely  promote  the 
interests  of  both,  and  develop  their  mutual  commerce, 
than  the  establishment  of  quick  and  regular  communica 
tion  by  steam  between  their  respective  ports. 

"  Such  an  enterprise  as  the  proposed  line  of  steamers, 
will  do  more  than  all  the  efforts  of  diplomacy  to  stimulate 
and  enlarge  our  trade,  by  exciting  a  spirit  of  industry 
throughout  Mexico,  leading  to  the  development  of  her  rich 
commercial  resources,  and  establishing  friendly  relations 
between  the  people  of  the  two  countries,  by  means  of 
more  frequent  intercourse  and  regular  correspondence. 

"It  has  long  been  evident,  that  what  Mexico  most  wanted 
is,  that  her  people  be  brought  into  contact  and  sympathy 
with  our  thrifty  and  enterprising  business  men.  The 
American  spirit  of  trade,  speculation  and  gain,  would 
then  diffuse  itself  through  the  Mexican  mind,  inspiring 
the  people  with  higher  and  more  practical  aims  than  those 
of  useless  political  revolution,  and  arming  them  against 
the  intrigues  and  petty  schemes  of  the  military  and  cleri 
cal  factions,  that  have  so  long  held  them  in  physical  and 
mental  bondage,  and  kept  the  country  in  a  state  of  excite 
ment  and  disorder.  It  must  be  patent  to  every  reflecting 
mind,  that  no  government  can  be  permanent  there,  until 
a  healthy  public  sentiment  is  impressed  upon  the  Mexican 
character;  and  the  surest  and  quickest  means  by  which 
this  can  be  accomplished  is,  by  bringing  their  people  in 
contact  with  American  industry,  enterprise,  customs  and 


69 

principles.  This  once  accomplished,  the  United  States 
will  have  opened  a  field  of  commerce  of  unequaled 
value.  Hence,  the  two  Governments  can  accomplish 
more  towards  the  ends  they  should  have  in  view,  of 
promoting  the  prosperity  and  commercial  developments 
of  both  countries,  by  the  instrumentality  of  such  enter 
prises  as  the  proposed  line  of  steamers,  than  they  could 
by  the  expenditure  of  millions  of  money  and  thousands 
of  lives  employed  in  any  other  way." 


GENERAL  EFFECT  UPON  TRADE  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES    OF    THE    FULL 
OPENING  OF  MEXICO  TO  OUR  COMMERCE. 

50.  The  general  effect  of  the  full  opening  of  the  trade 
of  Mexico  to  our  citizens  upon  the  commerce  of  the 
United  States,  in  stimulating  trade  and  industry  in 
every  part  of  the  Union,  cannot  be  overestimated. 
The  industry  of  the  West  will  be  stimulated  in  the  in 
creased  demand  for  its  breadstuffs  and  provisions  ;  of 
New  England,  for  its  manufactures ;  of  the  northern 
and  middle  States  for  their  machinery;  and  of  the  South 
for  its  cotton — no  part  of  the  Union,  and  no  branch  of 
natural  industry,  can  fail  to  be  reached  and  to  be 
benefited. 

Mexico  already  imports  over  50,000  bales  of  cotton 
annually  from  the  United  States.  Certain  and  regular 
facilities  of  communication  will  greatly  increase  this 
amount.  Her  requirements  in  the  way  of  machinery  are 
already  large,  and  cannot  fail  to  be  increased  in  an  im 
mense  amount  under  the  progressive  development  of  a 


70 

few  years  of  tranquillity  and  the  stimulus  of  American 
energy  and  enterprise. 

When  we  consider  that  Mexico  is  to-day  a  country 
virgin  to  all  the  material  improvements  of  the  age,  that 
she  has  railroads  yet  to  build,  telegraphs  to  construct, 
manufactories  to  establish,  industrial  enterprises  of  every 
kind  to  put  in  operation ,  her  mines  to  work  by  the  use 
of  improved  machinery,  her  lands  to  be  cultivated  and 
their  products  gathered  and  prepared  for  market  by  the 
aid  of  modern  labor-saving  appliances ;  that  in  fact  to 
all  those  inventions  and  improvements,  and  industrial 
ameliorations  to  which  we  are  now  accustomed,  and  to 
which  we  owe  so  much  of  our  material  progress,  she  is 
as  yet  a  stranger,  and  that  for  all  these  things  she  has 
to  look  abroad  for  her  supply,  and  can  look  nowhere  but 
to  the  United  States,  for  it  is  only  from  thence  that  the 
inspiration  to  their  use  and  the  capacity  to  their  applica 
tion  can  come  ;  when  all  this  is  considered,  and  we 
remember  that  it  is  a  population  of  eight  millions  in 
habiting  the  richest  country  on  the  face  of  the  globe, 
whose  wants  are  thus  to  be  supplied,  we  may  well 
wonder  at  the  apathy  and  indifference  that  has  led  us 
hitherto  to  neglect  so  great  advantages,  and  for  want  oi 
ordinary  attention  and  trifling  encouragement  to  permit 
so  rich  a  commerce  to  lie  dormant  at  our  very  doors. 


71 


THE    UNITED     STATES      CAN      ESTABLISH     A    LARGE    ENTREPOT     TRADE 

WITH    MEXICO. 

51.  The  importance  of  Mexico  as  a  market  for  the 
manufactured  goods  of  New  England  has  already  been 
alluded  to.  In  addition  to  this,  there  is  another  branch 
of  commerce  which  should  also  receive  our  attention. 
This  is  the  Entrepot  trade,  which  we  at  one  time  main 
tained  to  a  considerable  extent,  and  can  again  establish 
on  a  far  larger  scale  with  Mexico. 

Twenty  years  since,  this  trade  was  large  and  valuable, 
that  is  to  say,  the  United  States  were  then  the  depot 
from  which  Mexico  drew  a  very  large  portion  of  all  her 
supplies  of  European  and  other  foreign  productions  and 
manufactures.  We  have  entirely — or  nearly  so,  lost 
this  trade,  and  Mexico  now  draws  these  foreign  supplies 
directly  from  Europe,  though  at  large  expense  of  time 
and  convenience. 

This  trade  legitimately  belongs  to  the  United  States, 
and  we  have  lost  it  only  from  sheer  carelessness,  and 
the  absence  of  all  exertion,  both  on  the  part  of  the 
government  and  of  the  commercial  community,  to  pre 
serve  and  foster  it.  With  the  different  railroad  lines 
now  running  and  in  course  of  completion,  and  the  regular 
lines  of  steamers  running  weekly  or  semi-weekly  between 
the  great  Atlantic  ports  and  New  Orleans  or  Mobile, 
accomplishing  the  trip  from  Boston,  New  York  and 
Philadelphia  to  New  Orleans  in  five  or  six  days;  and  the 
regular  steam  communication  now  proposed  between 
New  Orleans  or  Mobile  and  the  Gulf  ports,  orders  for 


72 

merchandise  can  be  executed  in  New  York  and  other 
Atlantic  cities,  and  the  goods  landed  in  Mexico  in  twenty 
or  twenty-five  days  from  the  time  the  order  is  forwarded 
from  Vera  Cruz  or  Tampico;  whilst  from  Europe,  even 
with  all  their  present  steam  facilities,  it  would  require 
sixty  to  eighty  days. 

Under  such  circumstances,  what  merchant  or  trader 
at  any  of  the  foreign  ports  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  would 
order  his  goods  from  Europe  when  he  knew  the  market 
would  be  anticipated  by  those  who  derived  their  supplies 
from  the  United  States,  from  whence  the  Gulf  markets 
would  be  constantly  fed,  so  as  always  to  meet  the  cur 
rent  demand,  and  fill  up  any  vacuum  in  the  supply  of  any 
and  all  articles  as  it  occurs. 


The  following  Table  is  a  Detailed  Statement  of  Goods, 
Wares  and  Merchandise  of  the  growth,  produce  and 
manufacture  of  the  U.  S.  exported  to  Mexico,  during  the 
year  ending  June  30,  1857: 


Oil,  Spermaceti,  13G3  gallons,    . 

"    Whale,  2886     "        . 

Whalebone,  500  Ibs.  .         . 

Spermaceti,  740  ".. 

Candles,  12,754  Ibs. 
Fish,  Dried  or  Smoked,  86  cwt. 

"      Pickled,  26  bbls.  &  40  kegs. 
Staves,  9m.  .   '      .         . 

Shingles,  1598  in.  .         . 

Lumber,  Boards,  Plank,  Scantling, 

2617m.          .         . 
Other  Lumber,  .         .         . 

Manufacture  of  Wood,  . 

Tar  and  Pitch,  962  bbls.      .         . 
Rosin  and  Turpentine,  184  bbls. 
Skins  and  Furs,          .  . 

Beef,  103  bbls.      .  .  . 

Tallow,  12,132  Ibs.     .  . 

Hides,  No.  of  100,  .  . 

Butter,  47,090  Ibs.     .  . 


$1  737 

Cheese,  7,  114  Ibs.             .             .       $908 

2.446 

Pork,            59  bbls.  .             .             1  132 

219 

Hams  and  other  Bacon,  47,541  Ibs.  5.479 

.     279 

Lard,  676,438  Ibs.             .             .   85221 

4.791 

Live  Hogs,  No.  of  70             .                879 

.     367 

Flour,  24,089  bbls.           .                179.038 

511 

Indian  Corn,  226,226  bush.    .         174.873 

.     723 

Rye,  Oats,  and  other  small  grain,             5 

1.304 

Biscuit  or  Ship  Bread,  685  bbls. 

38.669 

and  106  kegs,             .             .     2.883 
Potatoes,  1,013  bbls.                .            2858 

5.890 

Apples,         91    "               .              .          425 

21.576 

Onions,           .            .             .             1  077 

2.676 

Rice,  350  bbls.     .             .             .4214 

492 

Cotton,  20,269  bales,  7,958,638  lbs.999  747 

788 

Tobacco,  100  bales,                 .             2.740 

1815 

Brown  Sugar,  4,440  Ibs.               .         478 

1  305 

Refined     "        5,455  "          .                 928 

250 

Hops,  28,080  Ibs.              .             .      2  919 

7,913 

Spirits  from  grain,  8,414  galls.           4.814 

73 


Vinegar,  6,860  galls.  .  $1085 

Beer,  Ale,  Porter  &  Cider,  in  bottles, 

422  dozens, 

Linseed  Oil,  4,108  galls.  ,       2,96: 

Spirits  of  Turpentine,  1,421  galls. 
Household  Furniture, 
Carriages  and  R.  R-  Cars, 
Hats,  Fur  and  Silk,  . 

"     Palm  Leaf, 

Saddlery,      .  -  \™ 

Trunks  and  Valises, 
Adamantine  and  other  Candles, 

41,983  Ibs  .  •  8,526 

Soap,  7,1 10  Ibs.  .  -         1029 

Snuff,  2.577  »          .  .  2.093 

Manufacture  of  Tobacco,  35,945  Ibs.  7  149 
Gunpowder,  214,800  Ibs.  .       15.363 

Boots  and  Shoes,  pairs  1602, 
Cables  and  Cordage,  139  cwt. 
Lead,  14,700  Ibs. 

Wails,  324,450  Ibs.  .  15.849 

Iron  Castings,  •         1.925 

"  all  other  manufacture  of  366.412 
Copper  &  Brass,  manufactures  of  7.645 
Drugs  and  Medicines,  34.461 

Manufactures    of  Cotton,  Printed 

and  Colored.  .  .     45.819 

Manufactures,  White  other  than 

Duck,          .  -  .         171.188 

Manufactures,  Duck, 

Cotton,    other    manufactures  of     27.815 
Wearing  Apparel,  .  .     2  451 

Earthen  and  Stone  Ware,         .          3.617 
Combs  and  Buttons,          .  .    15  123 

Brushes  of  all  kinds, 

Umbrellas  and  Parasols,     .  .       341 

Printing  Presses  and  Type,     . 
Musical  Instruments,         .  .661 

Books  and  Maps,         .  3,442 

Paper  and  other  Stationery,  .  14,549 
Paints  and  Varnish,  .  8.814 

Jewelry,  .  -  .       1-259 

Glass,  .  .  3188 

Tin,  manufactures  of      .  .  128 

Pewter  and  Lead,  manufactures  of  2  689 
Quicksilver,  .  .  510.054 

Bricks,  Lime  and  Cement,  .          240 

Coal,  425  tons,  .  .  3.295 

India  Rubber  Shoes,  3,400  pairs        2  262 
"     other  manufactures  of        .     17.716 
Lard  Oil,  260  gallons,  .  254 

ARTICLES    NOT    ENUMERATED 

Manufactured,  .  .  82654 

Raw,        .  .       8.828 

TOTAL  EXPORTS,  DOMESTIC  PRODUCTS. 

In  American  Vessels,          .         2  229.822 
"  Foreign  "         .  .      787.818 


Total, 


$3.017.640 


Detailed  Statement  of  Goods,  Wares  and 
Merchandise  of  the  Growth,  Produce  and 
Manufacture  of  Foreign  Countries  ex 
ported  from  the  U.  S.  to  Mexico,  during 
the  fiscal  year  ending  June  30,  1857. 

Teas,  34,609  Ibs.  .             .       $9  907 

Coffee,  5,137  "  .      240 

Copper  Sheathing,  .                          540 

Guano,  1  ton,         .  .             .65 

MANUFACTURES    OF    WOOL. 

Piece  Goods,  .  .          4662 

Shawls,  .  .  10538 

Blankets,  .  .  .  2.385 

Worsted  Piece  Goods,       .  .701 

Manufactures  not  specified,      . 
Carpeting,  ...          60 

Manufac'rs  of  Cotton  Piece  Gds.  171.240 
Cords,  gimps,  &c.  .  .  2.353 

Hosiery,  ....  2.315 
Twist  Yarn  and  Thread,  .  22.566 
Manufactures  not  specified,  .  6.187 

SILK    AND    MANUFACTURES    OF    SILK. 

Piece  Goods,                .             .  27  173 

Hosiery,                .             .             .  1  307 

Sewing  Silk,               .             .  6061 

Hats  and  Bonnets,                         .  665 

Manufactures  not  specified,   .  6.524 

Floss,       ....  205 

Silk  and  Worsted  Piece  Goods,  1  169 

Mohair  795 

MANUFACTURES    OF    FLAX. 

Linens,  bleached  or  unbleached,       18.957 

Manufactures  not  specified,  1.755 

Sail  Duck,  212  pieces, 

Clothing  ready  made, 

Articles  of  wear, 

Laces — Cotton  inserting,  &c.  2.579 

Embroideries, 

OilCloth.  75  yards, 

Gunny  Cloth  and  bags, 

Matting, Chinese  and  other, 

Hats,  Bonnets,  &c.  Straw,  Chip,  &c.  1-204 

Muskets  and  Rifles,  2,249,         .       16  853 

Fire  Arms  not  specified,       .  5.535 

Side  Arms, 

Needles,       ...  479 

Cutlery,  .  •         1-780 

Other  manufactures  of  Iron  and 

Steel,  not  specified  .  19.105 

Nails,  Spikes  and  Tacks,  3600  Ibs.        228 
Bar  Iron,  956  cwt.  .  4.105 

Hoop  Iron,  3,428  Ibs. 

Sheet  Iron,  4,000  "  .  .          537 

Steel,  Cast,  Shear  and  Germany, 

1093  cwt.  .  .  11.531 

Steel,  all  other,  279  cwt 

Copper,  manufacture  not  specified,     1.665 

«      Nails  and  Spikes,  30  Ibs.       .      14 

Brass,  manufacture  not  specified,  .       308 


10 


74 


Tin,  in  Pigs  and  Bars,       .         .      Si. 474 
"    in  Sheets  and  Plates,  .    3.010 

Lead,  Pier,  Bar,  Sheet  and  old, 

16,673'lbs.  .  .         .     1.038 

Zinc  Sheets,       .  .  .  324 

Spelter,  ....    2.064 

Jewelry,  .  .  .         1.400 

Manufactures   of  Gold  and  Silver, 

not  specified,  .  .  2.022 

Watches,  and  parts  of    .  .        2.50S 

Buttons,         .  .  .  475 

Glass,  Silvered,  .  .          200 

"      polished  Plate,  .  167 

"     manufactures  of,  not  specified,  1.268 

"     Demijohns,  No.  of  1000,  407 

Window  Glass,  square  feet,  1200,  57 

Writing  Paper,  .  .         1.969 

Paper,  manufac'res  of,  not  specified  3.056 

Blank  Books,  .  .  150 

Printed  Books,  in  English,  .         89 

"  other  languages  799 

Engravings,  .  .  .48 

Musical  Instruments,    .  .          4.308 

Daguerreotype  Plates,        .  .        170 

Skins  Tanned  and  dressed,  150  doz.  2.412 

Boots  and  Shoes,  250  pair,  .         527 

Manufac'res  of  Leather,  not  specified,  683 

China,  Porcelain,  Earthen  &  Stone 

Ware,  .  .  .         13.809 

Japanned  Wares,  .  .      1.293 

Manufactures  of  Wood,  .  1.488 

Dye-Wood  in  stick,  .  .         750 

Corks.  ...  269 

Quicksilver,  .  .  .    13.470 

Brushes  and  Brooms,  .  641 

Slates  of  all  kinds,  .  .479 

Raw  Hides  and  Skins,  .  138 

Grass  Cloth,         ...  50 

Umbrellas  and  Parasols,          .  1.012 

Wines,  Madeira,  115  galls.  .          875 

"       Sherry  and  St.  Lucas,  69  galls.  24 1 
"       Claret,  10,758  galls.  4  952 

"       Sicily,  2,982       "  .        1.755 

RedWines,  not  enumerated,  100  galls.  77 
White  Wines,  1,870  galls.  .  919 

Champagne.  377  doz.  .  2.378 

Madeira,  5  doz..  .  .  60 

Sherry,  148  "  .  .  816 

Claret,  3,83 1  "      .  .  .      7.234 

All  other  Wines,  989  doz.     .  2  149 

FOREIGN    DISTILLED    SPIRITS. 

Brandy,  3,013  galls.  .  .  4.657 

From  Grain.  1,370"  .  1.406 

"  other  materials,  608  galls.  1.025 

Cordials,  1,283  galls.  .  2.321 
Beer,  Ale  and  Porter,  in  casks, 

1,364  galls.  .  .  .253 

Beer,  Ale  and  Porter,  in  bottles, 

2,394  doz.       .             .             .  2.024 


Olive  Oil,  in  casks,  200  galls.  8184 

"       in  bottles,  1,469  doz.  5.591 

L'nseed  Oil,  38  galls.         .  .         £8 

Essential  Oil,            .   .             .'  9^2 

Cocoa,  127,836  Ibs.        «..  16.133 

Brown  Sugar,  40  "     .             .  9 

Loaf  and  other  refined,  6,800  Ibs.  61 1 

Fruit.  Almonds,  6,560  Ibs.            .  815 

"     Prunes,  2,903     "  590 

"     Figs,   510  Ibs.         .             .  72 

"     Raisins,  61,400  Ibs.     .  1.293 

Preserved  Fruit,             .             .  546 

Mace,  596  Ibs.          .  217 

Nutmegs,   110  Ibs           .             .  71 

Cinnamon,  42,647  Ibs.          .  15.169 

Cloves,  17,450  Ibs.         .             .  1.567 

Pepper,  Black,  102,770  Ibs.  11.267 

Ginger,  in  root,  500  Ibs.             .  14 

Candles,  Stearine,  21,894  Ibs.  4.396 

Cheese,  4,820  Ibs.          .             .  1.139 

Lard,  116  Ibs.         .  32 

Saltpetre,  crude,  53,000  Ibs.      .  6  997 

Indigo,  1047  Ibs.     .             .  .     l.K'l 
Gum  Arabic,  Senegal,  &c.  252  Ibs.       126 

Other  Gums,  312  Ibs.         .  .         59 

Acids,  Acetic,  &c.  384  Ibs.       .  163 
Sulphate  of  Quinine,  318,028  Ibs.          719 

Gunpowder,  5,720  Ibs.               .  1.123 

Cigars,  51  m.         .             .  .621 
Tobacco,  manufactured  other  than 

Snuff  and  Cigars,  1500  Ibs.  1.449 

Paints,  Dry  Ochre,  4,280  Ibs.  .        132 

Red  &  White  Lead,  901  Ibs.      73 

Cordage  untarred,  16,171  Ibs.  1.766 

Twine  and  Seines,  200  Ibs.  .         75 

Rags  of  all  kinds,  70,000  Ibs.  3.300 

Coal,  633  tons,               .             .  2  426 
Fish,  Dried,  Smoked  or  Pickled, 

10  bbls.  ...          98 

Merchandise  not  enumerated,  39.604 

Total  Foreign  products  exported, 

Free  of  duty,              .  10.752 

Pay  ing  duty,       .             .  586.814 


Total, 

In  American  vessels  380.938. 
"  Foreign        "        216.628. 


Total  domestic  products 
Total  exports, 


$597.566 


$3.615.206 


Detailed  Statement  of  Goods,  Wares  and 
Merchandise  imported  into  the  U.  S  from 
Mexico,  during  the  year  ending  June  30, 
1857. 

Gold,  Bullion,  .  .  21.848 

Silver,     "...     200.546 


75 


Gold,  coined,  .  .  $114.044 

Silver,  "  .  .  .  4.622.546 

Coffee,  19171bs.  .  .  .163 

Copper  Ore,  .  .  39 

Wearing  Apparel  and  person- effects 

of  Citizens  dying  abroad,  .  1.180 
Garden  Seeds,  trees  Shrubs  &  Plants,  6 1 
Articles,  the  produce  of  the  U.  S. 

brought  back,  -  .  3  844 

Guano,  5,596  tons,  54.480 

All  other  articles,  free,  .  2.500 

Total  free  of  duty,     .     $5  021.291 

Clothing.  Articles  of  Wear,  3  051 

Gunny  Cloth  and  Bags,  .  477 

Matting,  .  .  .  .13 

Hats,  Caps,  &c.  of  Straw,  Chip, 

Grass,  &c.  13.402 

Manufactures  of  Iron  and  Steel, 

not  specified,  .  .  205 

Chain  Cables,  2,764  Ibs.  .  100 

Anchors  and  parts  thereof,  3,530  Ibs.  210 
Old  and  Scrap  Iron,  231  cwt.  118 

Copper,  in  pigs,  bars  and  old,  .  1  889 
Copper  Bottoms,  .  .  177 

Brass,  old,  .  .  .61 

Lead,  pig,  bar,  sheet  and  old, 

46,404  Ibs.  .  .  .1081 

Books,  printed  in  English,  .  9 

"  other  languages,  25 

Engravings,  .  .  45 

Leather  tanned,  1.190  Ibs.  ,  456 

Skins  tanned  and  dressed,  57  doz.  508 
Manufactures  of  Leather,  not  specified  477 
China,  Earthen  &  Stone  Ware,  &c  178 
Saddlery,  .  .  .  2.013 

Furs  undressed,  .  .  11 

Manufactures  of  Wood,  .  65 

Mahogany  and  other  Woods,  43.813 

Wood  not  specified,  .  .  137 

Dye- Wood  in  stick,  .  52.212 

Burr  Stones,  .  .  60 

Raw  Hides  and  Skins,  .  518.190 

India  Rubber,  manufactures  of  112 

unmanufactured,  10 

Hair,  unmanufactured,  .  38  788 

Wool,  32,470  Ibs.  .  .  3.054 

Red  Wines,  436  galls.  .  164 

Champagne,  6  doz.  .  47 


Spirits  distilled  from  gram  317  galls. $212 

Honey,  183  galls.              .  .             79 

Molasses,  90"  "         .             .  .       18 

Cocoa,  2,250  Ibs.              .  .           155 

Sugar,  Brown,  31,821  Ibs.    .  1.737 

Fruits,  Plums,  2,820  Ibs.  .             87 

"       Figs,  14,005  Ibs.         .  594 

Dates,  1,329    "  .             86 

"       Oranges  and  Lemons,  1.412 

"       other  green  fruit,  .         4.674 

Preserved  fruit,        .             .  228 

Nuts,  14,800  Ibs.             .  .            449 

Pepper,  Red,  19,074  Ibs.      .  1.210 

Pimento,  8, 114  Ibs.          .  .            481 

Cheese,  55,482  lb»,              .  3.163 

Soap,  500  Ibs.                  .  .               40 

Tallow,  974  "                        .  .39 

Starch,  3,951  Ibs.          .  .             333 

Cochineal,  100,248  Ib.         .  86.745 

Acids,  Acetic.  &c.  25  Ibs.  .                10 

Alum,  4,464  Ibs.                  .  .          56 
Tobacco  unmanufac'ed,  117,550  Ibs,  12. 359 

Cigars,  260  m.             .             .  1.479 

Cordage  untarred,  33,596  Ibs.  3.241 

Twine  and  Seines,  3,725  Ibs.  .         410 
Jute,    Sisal   Grass,   Coir,   &c. 

3,525  cwt.         .             .  .    23.239 
Codilla,  or  Tow  of  Hemp  or  Flax, 

3  cwt.         .             .             .  16 

Salt,  76,770  bush.  15.319 

Wheat  Flour,  134  cwt.          .  386 

Fish,  Dried  or  Smoked,  9  cwt.  22 
Unenumerated, 

Paying  duty  at  5  per  cent,  .         4.880 

"       10       "         .  92 

'i       20      »             .  115.050 

"       30       "       .  .5  100 

"           "       40       "             .  7 

Total  free  of  duty,            .  5021.291 

Paying  duty,             .  964.566 


Total, 


In  American  vessels, 
"  Foreign 

Total, 


$5.985.857 


$3.701.317 
2.284540 

$5985.857 


76 


DESIRE     OF  MEXICO  FOR  INCREASED  COMMUNICATION  WITH  THE 
UNITED  STATES. 

52.  It  is  a  very  significant  fact  that  Mexico  in  her 
present  exhausted  condition,  disturbed  and  torn  asunder 
as  she  now  is  by  intestine  feuds  and  civil  war,  should  yet 
be  so  thoroughly  impressed  with  the  idea  of  the  great 
national  benefit  that  is  to  inure  to  her  from  the  success 
ful  establishment  of  this  postal  line  of  steamers,  that  she 
has  promptly  stepped  forward  and  agreed  to  pay  the  sura 
of  $120,000  per  annum,  for  the  mail  advantages  of  this 
line  alone. 

Can  the  United  States  Government,  therefore,  in  any 
view  of  the  subject,  do  less  than  meet  Mexico  on  half 
way  ground  and  consent  on  her  part  to  pay  the  moderate 
sum  of  $200,000  per  annum,  required  as  her  proportion. 

This  indeed  is  a  trifling  amount,  when  compared 
with  the  magnitude  of  the  object  to  be  gained,  and  es 
pecially  so  when  we  consider  the  advantages  to  be  de 
rived  by  the  United  States  over  Mexico.  It  is  not  rea 
sonable  or  just,  to  expect  that  private  enterprise  and 
capital  will  be  embarked  in  an  untried  field  like  that  now 
proposed,  without  some  aid  and  encouragement  from  the 
government,  and  therefore  the  only  point  to  consider  is, 
whether  such  aid  will  tend  to  the  promotion  of  the  inter 
ests  of  the  public  at  large. 


77 


REASONS     WHY     THE      UNITED     STATES      GOVERNMENT     SHOULD     ALSO 
SUPPORT    THE    PROPOSED    LINE. 

53.  We  have  shown  how  other  nations  find  their  ad 
vantage  in  affording  such  aid,  and  to  a  much  greater 
extent  than  is  necessary  for  the  United  States  with  refer 
ence  to  communication  with  Mexico,  and  that  from  the 
character  of  the  people  with  which  we  have  to  deal,  and 
the  almost  unlimited  resources  of  their  country,  equally 
satisfactory  results  must  attend  the  adoption  by  us  of 
the  policy  which  has  proved  so  successful  with  them. 

But  there  is,  however,  a  sufficient  and  immediate  con 
sideration  in  favor  of  the  Government  lending  its  aid  and 
assistance  towards  the  proposed  line,  to  be  found  in  the 
fact  that  the  Custom -House  revenue  to  be  derived  from 
the  increased  trade  which  the  line  will  build  up,  will  ex 
ceed,  by  probably  six  or  eight  fold  the  amount  required 
to  be  disbursed  as  mail  pay;  to  say  nothing  of  the  rev 
enue  from  postage  that  will  accrue  to  the  Post- Office 
Department,  and  which  no  doubt  will  eventually  more 
than  support  the  line. 

The  average  rate  of  duties  imposed  by  the  existing 
Tariff  of  the  United  States,  is  sixteen  per  cent,  on  the 
foreign  cost  of  imported  merchandise;  therefore,  if  the 
establishment  of  the  proposed  line  of  Steamers  increased 
the  imports  from  the  Gulf  Ports  only  two  millions  of 
dollars  per  annum,  it  would  add  $320,000  per  annum 
to  the  national  revenue,  or  $120,000  per  annum  more 
than  the  sum  to  be  paid  to  the  proposed  line.  But  in 
stead  of  two  millions,  who  can  reasonably  doubt  the  in- 


78 

crease  will  amount  in  a  very  short  period  to  four,  six, 
or  eight  millions  of  dollars  per  annum,  which  would  still 
not  be  equal  to  our  legitimate  share  of  this  trade,  and 
thus  give  at  the  last-named  sum,  an  increased  revenue 
of  $1,280,000  per  annum,  or  a  net  gain  to  the  revenues 
of  the  general  Government,  over  the  outlay  for  the  sup 
port  of  the  line,  of  $1,080,000  per  annum. 

54.  Besides  these  reasons  there  is  another  in  the  fact 
that  the  want  of  the  facilities  now  proposed  to  be  estab 
lished  has  actually  entailed  upon  the  government  during 
the  past  year  alone,  probably  a  greater  actual  outlay 
than  even  the  entire  sum  now  sought  to  be  obtained. 
Communication  with  Mexico  has  been  so  entirely  inter 
rupted  that  one  of  the  first-class  steamers  of  our  limited 
navy  has  been  detailed  to  do  service  as  a  dispatch  boat, 
simply  to  supply  the  deficiencies  which  our  entire  want 
of  a  postal  system  has  involved  us  in.  Our  relations 
with  Mexico  have  been  critical,  and  the  course  of  events 
there  has  involved  issues  of  the  utmost  importance  to  us, 
yet  we  have  had  more  frequent  and  easier  communica 
tion  with  Constantinople,  and  had  not  the  government 
detailed  the  Brooklyn  for  this  special  service,  it  would 
have  had  to  wait  the  chance  opportunities  afforded  by 
irregular  sailing  vessels. 


VIEWS    OF    MEMBERS    OF    CONGRESS. 

55.  That  these  views  are  participated  in  by  many  of 
our  ablest  statesman,  and  that  the  necessity  for  this  par 
ticular  service  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  is  felt  to  be  so 


79 


urgent  as  to  admit  of  no  further  delay  in  securing  its 
effective  establishment  at  any  reasonable  cost,  the  fol 
lowing  extracts  from  the  speeches  of  leading  senators  in 
Congress  at  the  close  of  the  last  session,  when  the  bill 
providing  for  the  establishment  of  the  proposed  line  was 
under  consideration,  will  clearly  show. 

The  shortness  of  the  session,  and  unavoidable  delays, 
prevented  the  bill  from  being  finally  brought  up  until  a 
very  late  moment,  but  the  remarks  elicited  even  in  the 
haste  and  excitement  of  the  closing  hours  of  Congress, 
were  none  the  less  pertinent,  able  and  convincing. 


REMARKS    OF    SENATOR    WARD    OF    TEXAS. 

56.  By  authority  of  the  Committee  on  the  Post-Office 
and  Post  Roads,  to  whom  the  bill  had  been  referred,  it 
was  approved  as  an  amendment  to  the  civil  appropriation 
bill,  by  Mr.  Ward  of  that  committee,  who  said :  "  It  is 
not  my  purpose  at  this  late  hour  of  the  session  to  detain 
the  business  of  the  Senate  by  a  lengthy  discussion  on 
this  amendment.  I  shall  therefore  dispense  with  many 
of  the  arguments  which  I  would  otherwise  have  used  on 
this  question,  and  whilst  I  acknowledge  that  the  other 
Steam  Service  embraced  in  this  bill  is  right  and  proper, 
yet  I  consider  none  of  them  of  more  importance  in  their 
consequences  and  results,  than  the  one  now  under  con 
sideration. 

I  will  merely  call  the  attention  of  Senators  to  our 
present  relations  with  Mexico,  and  what  they  might  be 
under  the  provisions  of  this  amendment. 


80 

It  will  be  recollected  that,  at  present  we  have  but  a 
single  temporary  mail  service  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,* 
being  only  twice  a  month  from  a  single  port.  By  the 
arrangement  proposed  by  this  amendment,  we  shall  have 
weekly  trips,  touching  at  all  the  important  points  on  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico.  I  have  no  doubt,  Mr.  President,  that 
the  postages  alone  will  in  a  few  years  make  this 
line  self-sustaining,  to  say  nothing  of  the  increase  of 
revenue  from  commerce,  and  the  political  influence  so 
much  to  be  desired.  If,  sir,  we  can  even  regain  the 
commerce  which  we  have  lost  by  our  neglect  and 
indifference  towards  Mexico,  it  will  increase  our  revenue 
far  beyond  any  expenses  incurred  by  this  service.  In  a 
political  point  of  view,  I  will  allude  to  the  course  we  are 
and  have  been  pursuing,  by  sending  ministers  and  char 
ge's  abroad  to  negotiate  treaties  of  amity  and  commerce 
with  distant  powers,  at  great  expense,  and  totally  neglect 
ing  to  cultivate  the  necessary  friendship  and  mutual 
intercourse  with  our  neighbor  republic,  and  lie  quietly 
by  and  permit  other  governments  to  come  to  our  doors 
and  divert  the  commerce  from  us  as  well  as  the  affections 
of  those  people,  which  we  have  it  in  our  power  to  avert 
by  renewing  our  commerce  with  them.  If  we  should 
refuse  this  overture  on  the  part  of  Mexico,  it  may  direct 
their  attention  and  affections  from  us  to  some  other  pow 
er  that  will  give  them  more  consideration. 

The  proposition  for  postal  and  commercial  intercourse 
came  from  Mexico,  in  the  shape  of  a  contract  made  with 


*  Since   suspended. 


81 


American  citizens,  in  which  she  agrees  to  pay  a  liberal 
proportion  of  the  expenses  in  carrying  out  the  enterprise, 
which  contract  was  submitted  to  the  United  States  lega 
tion  in  that  country,  and  acknowledged  by  all  the  author 
ities  there.  Now,  Mr.  President,  if  it  be  our  object  to 
cultivate  friendly  and  profitable  relations  with  Mexico,  I 
cannot  see  how  we  can  refuse  this  proposition  when  the 
amount  involved  is  insignificant  compared  to  the  ultimate 
results,  both  in  a  commercial  and  political  view  of  the 
question." 


REMARKS  OF  SENATOR  FITZPATRICK  OF  ALABAMA. 

57.  "I  desire  to  say  a  fewr  words  in  reference  to  this 
amendment,  which  is  in  the  words  of  the  bill  I  had  the 
honor  to  introduce  at  the  commencement  of  the  session. 
That  bill  has  undergone  the  scrutiny  of  the  committee 
on  the  post-office  and  post  roads,  and  comes  from  them 
with  the  recommendation  that  it  be  attached  to  this  bill 
(the  civil  appropriation  bill )  as  an  amendment 

It  was  designed  to  go  on  the  Ocean  Steamer  bill ;  but 
we  all  know  that  that  bill  has  failed,  and  this  is  the  only 
chance  to  establish  a  postal  arrangement  in  a  section  of 
country  that  has  been  too  long  neglected.  It  also  comes 
endorsed  by  a  very  strong  and  powerful  recommendation 
from  the  Postmaster- General.  There  are  many  fea 
tures  of  this  proposition  which  should  commend  it  to  the 
consideration  of  the  Senate.  The  proposed  postal  ar 
rangement  will  be  a  powerful  auxiliary  to  commerce, 
11 


82 

and  I  am  astonished  that  the  matter  has  been  so  long 
overlooked  and  passed  by  without  the  notice  of  the 
Congress  of  the  United  States.  We  have  established 
foreign  mail  service  with  the  continent  of  Europe  and 
many  distant  countries.  Here  is  an  attempt  to  connect 
ourselves  with  our  neighbors,  to  open  friendly  relations 
with  the  Republic  of  Mexico,  containing  twenty-two 
states,  six  territories  and  the  district  of  Mexico,  embrac 
ing  a  population  of  8,283,088  souls.  The  landed  estate 
of  those  states  is  estimated  at  the  sum  of  $720,000,000, 
and  the  town  property  at  $635,000,000,  making  a  total 
of  $1,355,000,000.  The  foreign  imports  into  that  country 
amount  to  $26,000,000.  I  ask  the  attention  of  the  Senate 
to  the  countries  from  which  these  imports  come.  Great 
Britain  leads  the  list  with  $12,500,000,  the  United  States 
$4,500,000,  about  one-third  of  Great  Britain ;  France, 
$4,500,000,  Germany,  $1,860,000,  and  so  on.  Here  is  a 
population  right  at  our  own  doors  that  receive  one- 
half  of  their  imports  from  England;  and  what  is  the 
reason  of  this  ?  Simply  because  the  government  of  Eng 
land  keeps  up  a  regular  line  of  steamers,  and  virtually 
bribes  that  trade  into  her  own  ports,  and  so  deprives 
us  of  all  the  exports  of  Mexico,  amounting  to  about 
$28,000,000.  But  a  small  proportion  of  that  commerce 
comes  to  our  country.  Are  not  these  facts  sufficient  to 
justify  us  in  appealing  to  Congress  to  make  a  proper 
postal  arrangement  with  Mexico,  to  see  if  we  cannot 
invite  more  of  this  trade  and  commerce  to  our  country  ? 
In  my  judgment  there  has  not  been  a  better  object  de 
manding  the  attention  of  Congress  during  the  present 
session  than  the  commerce  with  these  interesting  people. 


83 

They  desire  to  trade  with  us  if  we  will  give  them  an 
opportunity.  They  have  not  been  able  to  do  so  hereto 
fore,  because  the  postal  arrangements  of  England  and 
other  countries  have  deprived  us  of  their  commerce. 
The  expense  is  but  a  drop  in  the  bucket  compared  with 
the  commerce  that  will  come  into  this  country  if  we  es 
tablish  the  means  to  bring  it  here :  and  so  far  from  its 
being  a  drain  upon  the  Treasury,  I  feel  perfectly  assured 
that  if  the  facilities  are  afforded  which  I  trust  this  pro 
vision  will  offer,  for  every  dollar  we  pay  out  of  the 
Treasury,  we  shall  get  ten  in  return.  What  is  the  small 
amount  required,  to  us,  where  a  Government  crippled 
and  weak  like  that  of  Mexico  proposes  to  pay  $120,000 
itself?  I  .think  the  propriety  of  this  measure  is  so 
palpable,  and  should  so  appeal  to  the  enlightened  views 
of  the  Senate,  that  there  cannot  be  a  doubt  as  to  the 
proper  cause  to  be  pursued  :  and  I  trust  the  amendment 
will  be  adopted.  I  could  offer  many  statistics  to  the 
Senate  to  illustrate  and  enforce  the  propriety  of  this 
measure,  but  I  am  satisfied  from  the  impatience  I  see 
around  me,  that  it  is  out  of  place,  and  out  of  taste  to 
occupy  the  Senate  at  this  late  hour,  and  therefore  will 
not  proceed  further." 


REMARKS    OF    SENATOR    SHIELDS    OF    MINNESOTA. 

58.  "  I  agree  with  the  honorable  Senator  from  Ala 
bama,  that  this  is  no  time  to  discuss  any  question,  owing 
to  the  impatience  of  the  body,  and  the  near  approach  of 
the  end  of  the  session :  but  I  cannot  let  this  amendment 
pass  without  expressing  my  approval  of  it.  Perhaps  in 


84 

some  respects  this  arises  from  my  knowledge  of  the 
points  on  the  Gulf,  and  what  I  consider  to  be  the  very 
great  neglect  of  this  country  in  not  having  attended  to 
something  of  this  kind  long  ago. 

This  proposition,  if  I  understand  it  right,  provides 
that  these  vessels  shall  touch  at  every  Port  on  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico.  The  line  is  to  be  a  joint  line  between  this 
country  and  Mexico,  and  in  my  opinion  it  will  be  a  much 
better  mode  of  benefiting  that  country  and  connecting  it 
with  the  United  States,  than  some  plans  which  have  been 
proposed  at  this  session.  It  is  a  peace  measure,  it  is  a 
commercial  measure.  Mexico  will  be  a  good  market 
for  our  coarse  fabrics,  and  a  variety  of  articles  that  are 
made  in  our  country,  and  my  opinion  is,  that  if  this  line 
be  established,  it  will  do  more  to  improve  the  revenue  of 
this  country  than  all  the  lines  we  have  established  in 
other  directions  together. 

I  cannot  debate  this  question  now;  there  is  no  time  to 
enter  into  details.  I  could  however,  if  it  were  necessary, 
convince  the  most  skeptical  in  the  Senate  that  an 
American  line  touching  at  Matamoras,  Tampico,  Vera 
Cruz  and  other  points  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  bringing 
their  productions  to  this  country,  and  taking  ours  to 
them,  would  make  Mexico  the  best  market  we  can  have 
on  this  continent.  Why  it  has  been  so  long  neglected 
I  cannot  tell — why  such  a  proposition  was  not  made 
long  ago,  when  I  know,  and  every  man  acquainted  with 
that  country  knows,  that  the  very  articles  the  people 
there  most  need,  are  articles  that  can  be  most  cheaply 
furnished  by  this  country.  For  want  of  these  facilities 
they  have  been  obliged  to  go  to  Europe  for  them. 


85 

British  steamers  touch  at  these  points  and  give 
them  the  facilities.  We  have  neglected  to  cultivate  our 
nearest  neighbor,  while  we  have  been  hunting  all  over 
the  world  for  markets.  I  saw  that,  I  felt  that  while  I  was 
in  Mexico,  and  I  felt  the  influence  of  the  British  steamer 
touching  at  those  points  in  the  Gulf,  while  I  was  there, 
and  I  could  not  let  this  occasion  pass  without  expressing 
that  feeling  now  in  the  Senate.  I  will  not  say  that  this 
line  will  accomplish  all  that  the  honorable  Senators  de 
sire,  bat  it  is  the  first  measure,  in  my  humble  judgment, 
that  has  been  introduced  since  I  came  into  the  Congress 
of  the  United  States,  to  initiate  the  proper  policy  with 
Mexico  I  hope  we  shall  follow  up  this  peaceful  policy 
by  cultivating  kind  feelings  with  Mexico,  and  by  getting 
their  productions  which  we  need,  and  giving  them  in 
return  what  they  need. 

The  Mexican  Government  has  offered  such  advan 
tages  in  connection  with  this  line,  that  it  ought  not  to  be 
neglected.  It  will  give  us  the  preference  over  the 
European  lines.  It  will  make  Mexico  our  partner  in 
this  line,  and  make  them  also  responsible  for  managing 
it.  It  strikes  me  that  no  proposition  has  come  into  the 
Senate  at  this  session  that  can  compare  with  this. 

From  my  knowledge  of  that  country,  its  people  and 
its  productions,  and  its  exports,  my  opinion  is,  that  the 
establishment  of  this  line  will  reimburse  our  Treasury 
tenfold  what  it  will  cost  the  Government :  but  I  will 
not  waste  time  at  this  late  hour." 


86 


REMARKS    OF    SENATOR    WILSON    OF     MASSACHUSETTS. 

59.  "I  concur  entirely  in  the  remarks  made  by  the 
Senator  from  Minnesota.  I  have  devoted,  during  the 
present  session,  some  little  time  and  attention  to  the 
subject  of  our  connections  with  the  countries  south  of  us 
on  the  continent :  and  it  seems  to  me  the  part  of  wisdom 
for  the  government  of  the  United  States  to  devote  all  its 
power  and  all  its  energies  to  the  opening  of  communica 
tions  with  the  countries  south  of  us  on  this  continent. 

The  Senator  from  Georgia  (Mr.  Toombs)  said  the  other 
day  in  the  Cuban  debate,  that  our  India  was  south  of  us 
on  this  continent.  That  is  so. 

We  hear  a  great  deal  of  talk  about  the  balance  of 
trade  being  against  us  in  Europe.  That  is  a  mistake. 

The  balance  of  trade  is  in  our  favor  on  the  continent 
of  Europe  :  but  we  have  a  balance  of  trade  against  us  of 
from  thirty  to  forty  million  dollars  annually,  south  of  us 
on  this  continent. 

During  the  last  ten  years  we  had  a  balance  of  trade 
against  us  in  Cuba  and  Brazil  alone,  of  $225,000,000, — 
$22,500,000, — annually. 

I  shall  vote  for  this  proposition  as  a  measure  that  is  to 
connect  us  more  closely  with  Mexico. 

I  shall  vote  for  all  measures  tending  to  connect  us 
with  all  the  nations  south  of  us  on  this  continent.  I 
shall  vote  for  all  measures  that  have  a  tendency  to  take 
off  restrictions  on  trade,  to  liberalize  our  commercial 
connections,  and  prepare  that  portion  of  our  continent 
for  intimate  commercial,  and  perhaps  in  time,  political 
relations  with  us." 


87 


REMARKS    OF    SENATOR    BENJAMIN    OF    LOUISIANA. 

60.  "  In  regard  to  the  merits  of  this  proposition,  it  is 
quite  too  late  in  the  session  for  any  of  us  to  talk  about 
it  as  a  general  subject,  or  do  any  more  than  throw  out  a 
few  suggestions. 

This  line  that  is  proposed  by  the  committee  on  the  Post- 
Officer  and  Post  Roads,  is  eminently  advantageous  as  a 
national  line,  for  national  political  purposes  connected 
with  our  foreign  relations. 

It  is  not  a  mere  postal  line  :  but  there  is  another  view 
of  the  subject  which  ought  to  be  taken  into  consideration, 
not  only  in  relation  to  this  particular  line,  bat  to  all  the 
ocean  mail  lines  of  the  country.  It  is  this :  that  inde 
pendently  of  their  service  to  the  country  in  carrying  the 
communications  between  our  merchants  and  those  of 
foreign  nations,  they  create  for  this  country  a  pre  emi 
nent  moral  power,  a  commercial  power,  a  power  over 
public  opinion  in  the  countries  with  which  these  steamers 
connect  us,  and  which  gives  us  a  great  advantage  in  our 
foreign  intercourse  with  them.  Now  take  the  Republic 
of  Mexico  :  we  have  no  connection  with  it ;  and  our  com 
merce  there  has  dwindled  down  to  nothing,  and  Great 
Britain  has  got  it  all.  Great  Britain,  at  a  distance  of 
nearly  four  thousand  miles,  across  a  stormy  ocean,  has 
monopolized  the  commerce  of  this  sister  Republic  that 
touches  us,  simply  because  her  Government  maintains 
steam  lines  in  connection  with  Mexico,  and  our  Govern 
ment  refuses  to  do  it. 

We  had  a  mail  line  last  year  to  Bremen.     The  Sen- 


88 

ator  from  Vermont,  (Mr.  Collamer,)  suggests  to  me  that 
during  the  few  years  that  line  was  in  existence,  our  im 
portations  from  the  ports  to  which  it  ran,  were  increased 
from  three  or  four,  to  nineteen  millions  of  dollars  per  an 
num. 

We  changed  our  policy :  the  service  was  subverted : 
the  importations  are  dropping  off,  and  they  are  dwind 
ling  away  to  what  they  were  before. 

Now,  sir,  I  do  not  pretend  to  say  that  we  ought  to  send 
our  lines  of  Steamers  to  all  quarters  of  the  world  with 
Government  subsidy,  merely  for  the  sake  of  increasing 
our  political  influence  :  but  there  are  points  where  our 
interests  are  so  closely  connected  with  those  of  foreign 
nations  that  it  may  be  a  matter  of  judicious  economy  to 
protect  those  interests,  by  moderate  expenditures  in 
time  of  peace,  rather  than  establishing  armaments  and 
protecting  those  interests  by  the  arm  of  power. 

I  think  this  is  one  of  those  cases.  In  our  European 
connections,  perhaps,  we  are  not  benefited  so  much 
politically,  as  we  should  be  by  a  connection  with  our 
sister  republics;  but  so  far  as  connection  with  the  ports 
upon  the  Gulf  is  concerned,  it  is  obvious  that  if  we  are 
to  have  any  control  on  the  political  future  of  Mexico  we 
must  connect  ourselves  with  them  in  some  way.  Now 
we  have  no  connection.  Their  commerce  has  gone  across 
the  ocean,  although  we  can  furnish  them  with  what  they 
require  at  much  lower  rates.  We  have  what  they  want, 
and  they  have  what  we  want.  Their  productions  are 
such  as  are  not  raised  in  our  country :  their  mines  give 
us  the  silver  we  require  for  our  daily  uses  in  the  trans 
action  of  commerce :  but  all  this  is  going  across  the 


89 

ocean,  going  into  the  lap  of  Great  Britain,  because  she 
thinks  proper  to  subsidize  mail  steam  lines  and  we  have 
none.  We  have  had  our  steamer  running  across  to 
Vera  Cruz  in  monthly  trips,  two  or  three  months  of  the 
year,  and  then  stopping  so  that  communication  is  cut  off. 
In  this  particular  instance  now  under  consideration, 
the  Republic  of  Mexico  has  given  a  grant  to  an  American 
citizen  of  a  steam  line :  and  it  has  agreed  to  give  him 
$120,000  towards  the  mail  subsidy  necessary  for  keeping 
it  up,  if  the  government  of  the  United  States  will  give 
such  further  sum  as  may  be  necessary.  This  is  rather 
in  the  nature  of  a  postal  treaty :  still  it  is  a  legitimate 
subject  of  legislation.  I  shall  vote  for  it  as  a  political 
measure,  connected  with  our  foreign  relations :  not  as  a 
purely  postal  route." 


CONTEST    BETWEEN    SENATE    AND    HOUSE,    AND    LOSS    OF 
APPROPRIATION    BILL. 

61.  The  amendment  as  introduced  by  Mr.  Ward 
passed  the  Senate  by  an  almost  unanimous  vote — with 
a  singular  unanimity,  in  fact,  and  only  failed  in  the 
House  in  common  with  various  other  amendments  prop 
erly  belonging  to  the  postal  service,  in  the  contest  which 
ensued  during  the  last  hours  of  the  session  between  the 
Senate  and  the  House  upon  the  appropriation  bills,  and 
in  which  that  for  the  Post-Office  Department  was  entire 
ly  lost. 

The  feeling  that  was  drawn  out,   however,  in  both 
Houses,  evinced  an  almost  unanimous  disposition  to  no 
12 


90 

longer  permit  our  commercial  relations  with  Mexico  to 
remain  in  their  past  neglected  condition ;  but  as  the  ear 
liest  practicable  moment  to  take  such  steps  as  shall  be 
best  calculated  to  secure  a  revival  of  our  trade  with  that 
country,  by  the  establishment  of  facilities  of  regular  and 
frequent  communication,  and  the .  promotion  by  every 
legitimate  means,  of  a  withdrawal  of  that  trade  from  its 
present  European  channels,  and  its  transfer  to  the  secure 
possession  and  control  of  our  own  citizens  where  it  nat 
urally  and  legitimately  belongs. 

The  considerations  which  then  operated  to  influence 
Congress  in  favor  of  a  new  policy,  have  now  still  greater 
weight  and  importance,  and  in  the  progress  of  events, 
have  become  still  more  clearly  apparent  and  urgent: 
and  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  a  measure  so  immediately 
tending  to  promote  the  desired  improvement  in  our  rela 
tions  with  Mexico,  as  the  establishment  of  regular 
communication  by  steam  between  the  two  countries,  will 
secure  early  attention  and  be  favorably  acted  upon. 


REPORT  OF  POST-OFFICE   COMMITTEE  AT  LAST  SESSION. 

62.  The  necessity  for  the  proposed  Steam  Ship  Line 
connecting  the  Mexican  Ports  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico 
with  those  of  the  United  States,  cannot  be  more  clearly 
and  ably  set  forth  than  it  is  in  the  following  report  made 
by  the  Post- Office  Committee  to  the  Senate  at  the  last 
session;  the  letter  of  the  Postmaster -General  to  that 
committee  in  reply  to  their  inquiries  with  reference  to 
the  proposed  Line  ;  and  in  the  letters  from  the  Consuls 


91 

at  Vera  Cruz  and  Tampico,  and  memorials  from  the 
merchants  of  those  places,which  accompanied  the  Letter 
of  the  Postmaster -General,  and  form  a  part  of  the 
Committee's  Report. 


63    35-TH  CONGRESS,  >  SENATE.  J  REP.  COM. 

2d  Session.      5  (     No.  375. 


IN  THE  SENATE  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

FEBRUARY  15,  1859. — Ordered  to  be  printed. 

MR.  WARD  made  the  following 
REPORT. 

[To  accompany  Bill  8.  512.] 

The  Committee  on  Post -Offices  and  Post  Roads,  to  whom 
was  referred  a  bill  to  establish  a  line  of  mail  steamers 
from  New  Orleans  or  Mobile  to  sundry  ports  therein  men 
tioned  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  have  had  the  same  under 
consideration,  and  a  majority  of  said  committee  have 
authorized  me  to  report  a  substitute  therefor,  and  recom 
mend  its  passage. 

Your  committee  would  further  state  that,  at  present, 
there  is  no  direct  postal  communication  between  the 
United  States  and  any  of  the  Mexican  ports,  except  an 
irregular  one  with  Vera  Cruz,  twice  a  month,  which  is 
suspended  during  the  summer  months. 


92 

The  government  of  Mexico,  for  the  purpose  of  increas 
ing  the  facilities  of  postal  and  commercial  intercourse 
between  the  two  countries,  has  entered  into  an  exclusive 
contract  with  Mr.  Carlos  Butterfield,  for  the  space  often 
years,  to  transport  the  mails  in  steamers,  weekly,  be 
tween  New  Orleans  or  Mobile,  and  all  of  the  above- 
named  ports,  giving  to  the  contractor  an  exemption  from 
port  charges  for  his  vessels,  and  otherwise  securing  him 
in  the  enjoyment  of  the  rights  contracted  for. 

The  compensation  for  this  service  by  Mexico  is  fixed 
at  the  rate  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  dollars 
($120,000)  annually,  based  upon  the  supposition  that  the 
United  States  would  contribute  liberally  towards  estab 
lishing  this  desirable  communication. 

The  general  principle  which  this  committee  has  adopted 
in  recommending  the  formation  of  contracts  for  the  trans 
portation  of  the  mails  by  ocean  steamers,  has  been  either 
to  pay  -a  sum  not  greater  than  the  amount  of  postages, 
or  to  call  for  competing  bids ;  but  in  this  case  that  prin 
ciple  cannot  be  applied,  as  the  trade  at  present  between 
this  country  and  Mexico  would  not  be  a  sufficient  collat 
eral  inducement  for  any  company  to  make  regular  trips 
for  the  postage  alone.  Although  it  is  not  properly  a 
matter  to  be  considered  by  your  committee  that  the  com 
merce  between  the  two  countries  will  be  promoted  by 
the  establishment  of  a  line  of  steamers  through  the 
agency  of  the  mail  pay,  yet  such  pay  as  ought  to  be 
allowed  must  depend  in  some  degree  upon  the  advan 
tages  which  the  ships  carrying  the  mails  can  derive  from 
commerce ;  and  if  it  is  important  in  any  respect  to  es 
tablish  a  mail  service  to  ports  where  commerce  does  not 


93 

exist  at  present  sufficient  to  sustain  the  line,  then  a 
greater  sum  must  be  paid  than  under  other  circum 
stances. 

If  the  effect  of  the  proposed  line  should  result  in  the 
increase  of  commerce,  the  duties  which  will  be  paid  on 
imports  will  very  soon  compensate  the  government  for 
the  increased  mail  pay ;  and  should  we,  by  a  regular 
and  ready  communication  with  Mexico,  succeed  in  re 
storing  our  commerce  from  its  present  dilapidated  con 
dition  even  to  the  point  where  it  once  stood,  the  duties 
received  will  much  more  than  remunerate  the  govern 
ment  for  the  expenditure  now  advanced  for  mail  service. 

It  will  be  seen  from  our  apathy  towards  Mexico,  and 
our  indisposition  to  cultivate  and  extend  our  commercial 
intercourse  with  her,  that  very  much  of  her  trade,  valu 
able  to  us,  has  been  diverted  to  England  and  other  coun 
tries,  which  we  might  easily  have  secured,  and  which 
may  yet  be  reclaimed. 

The  total  interchange  of  trade,  including  both  imports 
and  exports  between  the  United  States  and  Mexico,  in 
1851,  was  reduced  to  about  three  millions  of  dollars,  al 
though,  when  the  United  States  forces  held  the  port  of 
Vera  Cruz  in  1848-'49,  the  imports  then  from  the  United 
States  amounted  in  one  year  to  over  $9,000,000  and  as 
early  as  1835  even  a  larger  amount  than  the  above  was 
imported  by  Mexico  from  this  country. 

Your  committee  will  further  suggest,  that  as  Mexico 
has  made  the  advance,  and  thereby  has  manifested  a 
disposition  to  revive  and  increase  our  postal  service  and 
commercial  intercourse,  with  the  expectation  that  the 
United  States  will  reciprocate,  that  she  should  be  met  in 


94 

the  same  spirit  in  which  the  advance  is  made,  which,  if 
properly  entered  into  and  conducted,  will  open  up  a  new 
channel  of  postal,  commercial,  and  social  intercourse 
between  the  two  governments  that  will  increase  a  rev 
enue  from  postages  alone  to  an  amount  exceeding  the 
entire  expense  on  the  part  of  the  United  States  govern 
ment  for  mail  service. 

Your  committee  would  further  state  that  the  sum  al 
lowed  by  this  bill  would  only  amount  to  $-2,500  for  a 
round  trip,  or  entire  circuit  of  the  Gulf,  making  an  aver 
age  distance  of  twenty- three  hundred  miles,  touching  at 
all  the  ports  named. 

In  conclusion,  your  committee  would  most  respectfully 
state  that  this  whole  subject-matter  has  been  submitted 
to  the  Postmaster-General  for  his  consideration,  and  beg 
leave  to  annex  hereto  his  able  communication  thereon. 


LETTER       OF     POSTMASTER-GENERAL. 

POST-OFFICE  DEPARTMENT,  January  21,  1859. 

64.  Sir:  In  reply  to  the  inquiry  made  by  the  Com 
mittee  on  Post-Offices  and  Post  Roads,  relative  to  the 
expediency  of  establishing  a  line  of  steamers  between 
New  Orleans  or  Mobile  and  all  the  principal  ports  in 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  as  set  forth  in  the  memorial  of  Carlos 
Butterfield,  bearing  date  the  31st of  December  last,  (1858,) 
I  beg  to  submit  the  following  statement : 

Notwithstanding  the  proximity  of  Mexico,  and  the 
special  interest  of  this  government  in  every  thing  that 


95 

appertains  to  and  that  might  facilitate  the  most  friendly 
and  enlarged  intercourse  between  our  own  and  the  peo 
ple  of  that  republic,  it  is  well  known  that  for  the  last 
twenty  years  the  commerce  between  the  two  countries 
has  been  greatly  decreasing,  and,  in  fact,  has  dwindled 
down  to  a  comparatively  insignificant  amount ;  whereas 
with  Great  Britain  and  other  European  nations  it  has 
been  steadily  increasing.  This  fact,  it  may  be  presumed, 
is  attributable  almost  entirely  to  the  policy  of  the  British 
government  in  protecting  and  supporting  regular  lines 
of  mail  steamers.  Frequency,  certainty,  and  regularity 
of  intercourse  between  countries  are  the  great  life-springs 
of  commerce.  This  it  is  which  has  given  to  Great 
Britain  not  only  a  commercial  preponderance  in  the 
Mexican  trade,  but  may,  if  it  has  not  already  done  so, 
give  her  an  equally  significant  political  influence  in  the 
affairs  of  that  country. 

For  many  years  past  the  United  States  have  been  en 
deavoring  to  enter  into  treaty  stipulations,  by  which  the 
bulk  of  the  trade  that  now  finds  its  way  to  Europe  might 
be  diverted  to  this  country  ;  a  trade  which  with  Great 
Britain  alone,  including  imports  and  exports,  amounts  to 
from  twenty-eight  to  thirty  millions  of  dollars  per  annum; 
whereas  with  the  United  States  it  has  not  averaged 
eight  millions  per  annum  for  the  last  twenty  years. 

Now,  in  order  to  divert  this  trade,  as  above  stated,  it 
appears  to  me  that  it  can  be  effected  in  no  other  way  so 
well  as  by  the  increase  of  commercial  and  postal  facili 
ties  between  the  two  countries.  Establish  such  a  line 
as  the  one  in  question,  and  the  intercourse  and  interests 
of  the  people  of  Mexico  and  the  United  States  will  be  so 


96 

blended  as  greatly  to  promote  future  treaty  arrangements, 
by  which  the  general  commercial  interests  of  this  coun 
try  may  be  secured,  and  enable  us  to  enjoy  a  commerce 
with  that  country  within  a  short  period,  of  thirty  or  more 
millions  of  dollars  per  annum,  instead  of  the  paltry  trade 
we  now  have. 

The  advantages  of  our  geographical  position,  and  the 
enterprise  of  our  people,  who  produce  and  manufacture 
every  article  of  consumption  suitable  to  the  Mexican 
market,  enable  us,  after  the  trade  is  once  developed,  to 
sell  or  exchange  on  terms  more  advantageous  to  Mexican 
consumers  than  can  be  possibly  offered  by  European 
producers.  Once  accomplish  this  object,  and  it  is 
obvious  that  the  considerable  amounts  of  specie  which 
now  find  their  way  to  Europe  would  be  diverted  to  the 
United  States. 

By  reference  to  the  statistics  of  the  two  countries  it 
will  be  seen  that  of  the  eight  Mexican  ports  at  which  the 
steamers  of  the  proposed  line  would  touch,  there  are 
several  which  are  almost  entirely  destitute  of  commer 
cial  and  postal  intercourse  with  the  United  States ;  ports 
from  whence  to  our  own,  with  the  establishment  of  fre 
quent  and  regular  communication,  would  be  shipped  the 
productions  of  large  countries,  and  many  towns  and  cities 
containing  from  five  to  thirty  thousand  inhabitants,  and 
through  which  would  be  received  in  exchange  the  pro 
ductions  and  manufactures  of  the  United  States  ;  thus 
creating,  as  is  believed,  in  a  very  short  period, a  large 
and  flourishing  commerce  between  the  two  countries, 
which  would  necessarily  augment  our  revenues  far  be 
yond  the  outlay  necessary  to  put  into  successful  opera- 


97 

tion  the  postal  and  commercial  intercourse  sought  to  be 
established  by  the  proposed  line  of  steamers. 

Apart  from  the  great  commercial  advantages  to  be  de 
rived  from  the  establishment  of  this  line,  and  placing  it 
strictly  in  a  postal  point  of  view,  it  is  obvious  to  any  one 
acquainted  with  the  political  relations  of  the  two  coun 
tries  that  the  want  of  postal  facilities  in  what  we  should 
term  the  Mediterranean  of  the  American  continent  has 
been  long  and  seriously  felt.  In  that  connection,  I  may 
refer  you  to  the  memorial,  marked  A,  which,  in  the 
opinion  of  this  department,  presents  a  clear  statement 
of  all  the  facts  embraced  in  the  application. 

And,  in  further  elucidation  of  the  subject,  I  would  call 
the  attention  of  the  committee  to  the  accompanying 
memorial  of  the  merchants  of  Vera  Cruz,  marked  B, 
addressed  to  the  consul  of  the  United  States  at  that  port, 
and  transmitted  to  this  department  by  him,  with  a  com- 
munication  of  his  views  on  the  subject,  marked  C. 

Notwithstanding  the  depletion  of  the  Mexican  treas 
ury,  that  government,  recognizing  the  importance  of 
postal  facilities  between  the  two  countries,  and  anxious  to 
develop  its  commercial  relations  with  the  United  States, 
came  forward  and  contracted  with  a  citizen  of  the  United 
States  for  the  establishment  of  a  weekly  line  of  steamers, 
touching  at  all  the  principal  ports  of  the  Gulf,  free  of 
port  charges,  and  placing  one-half  of  the  line  under  the 
flag  of  the  United  States,  undoubtedly  contemplating  a 
generous  response  on  the  part  of  this  government  for 
the  accomplishment  of  a  great  international  enterprise  ; 
involving,  in  my  opinion,  not  only  important  postal  and 
commercial,  but  also  political  interests. 
13 


98 

If  it  is  desirable  to  facilitate  by  treaty  stipulations,  and 
protect  by  armed  squadrons,  our  trade  with  distant  na 
tions,  whose  people  have  no  particular  sympathies  or 
affinities  with  our  own,  and  for  whom  we  are  only  con 
cerned  as  to  the  dollars  and  cents  involved,  how  much 
m ore  important  is  it  that  with  Mexico  such  a  careful, 
liberal,  enlightened,  and  wise  policy  should  be  adopted 
as  will  draw  into  the  closest  bonds  of  amity  the  people 
of  the  two  countries,  destined,  perhaps,  to  claim  as  their 
own  the  history  of  each. 

Upon  all  the  facts  involved  in  this  application,  I  can 
not  withhold  the  expression  of  the  opinion  that  great 
practical  advantages  will  be  gained  to  this  country  by 
acceding  to  some  such  arrangement  as  is  suggested  by 
the  petitioner,  and  I  therefore  commend  the  subject  to 
your  favorable  consideration,  as  being  well  worthy  the 
attention  of  Congress.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  es 
tablishment  of  such  a  line  would  supersede  the  line 
from  New  Orleans  to  Vera  Cruz,  which  has  been  kept 
up  for  many  years,  at  a  cost  of  about  $30,000  per  annum. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

AARON  V.  BROWN. 
Hon.  D.  L.  YULEE, 

Chairman  Committee  on  Post-Offices  and  Post  Reads,  Senate. 

MEMORIAL  OF  THE  MERCHANTS  OF  VERA  CRUZ. 

CONSULATE  OP  THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA, 

Vera  Cruz,  December  7,  1858. 

65.  SIR  :  I  have  the  honor  herewith  to  inclose  a  memo 
rial  signed  by  most  of  the  leading  merchants  of  Vera  Cruz, 


99 

and  addressed  to  me,  requesting  that  I  shall  bring  before 
my  government  the  important  subject  of  establishing  a 
coast  line  of  steamers,  from  Mobile  or  New  Orleans, 
along  the  Texan  and  Mexican  coast. 

I  take  pleasure  in  laying  the  memorial  before  you, 
more  because  of  the  great  importance  of  such  a  line  of 
steamers  to  the  commercial  and  political  advantages  it 
would  give  the  United  States  in  Mexico,  over  every  other 
country 

I  could  dwell  at  great  length  upon  this  very  important 
enterprise — the  advantages  it  would  be  to  the  United 
States  in  every  point  of  view ;  but  as  Col.  Carlas  But- 
terfield,  who  proposes  to  establish  the  line,  is  now  in 
Washington,  and  can  give  the  most  satisfactory  informa 
tion  on  the  subject,  I  only  desire  to  lay  this  memorial 
before  you,  and  respectfully  ask  that  it  receive  that 
attention  which  the  great  importance  of  the  subject 
demands. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your 
obedient  servant, 

R.  B.  J.  TWYMAN, 

United  States  Consul. 

Hon.  A.  V.  BROWN, 

Post  master-  General,  Washington. 

VERA  CRUZ,   October  16,  1858. 

To  R.  B.  J.  TWYMAN, 

United  States  Consul  for  Vera  Cruz  : 

SIR  :  The  undersigned,  merchants  of  the  city  of  Vera 
Cruz,  take  the  liberty  of  calling  your  attention  to  the 
following  facts,  and,  at  the  same  time,  beg  you,  as 


100 

consul  of  the  United  States  of  America,  to  submit  the 
subject  to  your  government,  for  its  consideration  : 

1.  Vera  Cruz  is  comparatively  cut  off  from  all  regular 
communication  with  the  United  States ;   consequently 
all  commercial  operations  between  the  two  countries  are 
almost  paralyzed,  having  to  rely  on  transient  sailing 
vessels,  which  now  and  then  make  their  appearance  in 
our  harbor. 

2.  Our  mail  communication  with  the  United  States  is 
subject  to   the    same  contingencies,  in  consequence  of 
which  we  are  frequently  more  than  a  month  without 
correspondence  from  the  United  States,  which  we  ought 
to  expect  at  least  every  eight  days. 

3.  Whilst  importations  of  merchandise  from  the  United 
States   barely  reach  $4,000,000  a  year,  those  of  Great 
Britain  alone  reach  $1*2,500,000.     This  difference,  you 
will  readily  perceive,  arises  from  the  fact  of  the  current 
of  commerce  established  with  Europe  by  means  of  a 
regular  steam  communication.    Therefore  you  will  readi 
ly  perceive  that  the  only  thing  required  to  divert  and 
increase  the   commerce   of  this  country  to  the   United 
States,  is  the  establishment  of  a  regular  and  frequent 
communication  by  steam   between  the    two    countries, 
which  can  be  easily  accomplished  at  the  present  time  if 
the  Government  and  people  of  the  United    States  will 
come  forward  and  render  that  aid  necessary  to  an  enter 
prise  which  will  build  up  and  establish  the  commercial 
relations  between  the  two  countries. 

4.  The  Mexican  Government,  some  ten  months  since, 
seeing  the  importance  of  the  establishment  of  a  more 
frequent     commercial     intercourse     between    the    two 


101 

Republics,  granted  to  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  a 
concession  for  the  establishment  of  a  line  of  weekly 
steamers  between  New  Orleans  or  Mobile,  touching  at 
all  the  principal  Mexican  ports  of  the  Gulf,  with  a  liberal* 
subsidy  for  mail  service,  and  other  concessions  in  favor 
of  the  enterprise.  The  Mexican  Government,  being 
convinced  at  the  time  of  granting  this  concession  that  the 
United  States  would  come  forward  and  render  the  same 
liberal  support  to  so  great  an  international  enterprise, 
calculated  to  cement  more  firmly  the  friendly  relations 
and  commercial  intercourse  botween  the  two  Republics, 
granted  the  privilege  of  placing  one-half  the  number  of 
steamers  comprising  the  line  under  the  American  flag, 
and  the  other  half  under  that  of  Mexico.  In  conclusion, 
the  undersigned,  feeling  a  deep  interest  in  the  establish 
ment  of  this  enterprise,  which  is  destined  to  bring  great 
benefits  to  the  mercantile  interests  of  both  countries, 
solicit  your  aid  in  their  behalf,  by  laying  the  matter  be 
fore  your  Government  in  its  proper  light 

Respectfully  yours, 

Uslar  Heyme]  &  Co.  Fischer,  Busing-  &  Co. 

E.  Behem.  Leffman  &  Gutheil. 
Garuste,  Labadie  &  Co.  H.  Strebel. 

J.  Lelong.  Brehem  &  Rubke. 

J.  H.  Labiche  &  Co.  F.  Watermeyer  &  Co. 

Feraer  &  Jens.  Biesterfield  &  Co. 

F.  Formento  &  Co.  Cambuston  &  Co. 
Doorman  &  Co.  F.  Neron,  Wittenpo  &  Co. 
H.  J.  Kopeke.  Fuentes,  Carran  &  Co. 
Mahum  &  Munoz.  Cabrera  &  Bello. 
Sturken   Pollitz,  successors  of     Guillermo  Fitz  Maurice. 

Jul  Sievers. 


102 


LETTER    FROM    THE    UNITED    STATES    CONSUL    AT    TAMPICO. 

To  the  Hon.  A.  V.  BROWN, 

Postmaster- General  of  the  United  States,  Washington. 

CONSULATE  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA. 
Tampico,  Feb.  20,  1859. 

66.  SIR  : — I  have  the  honor  herewith  to  inclose  a  me 
morial  addressed  to  this  consulate  by  the  principal  mer 
chants  of  this  city,  explanatory  of  the  advantages  which 
would  be  derived  by  the  people  of  the  United  States, 
and  those  of  the  Mexican  Republic,  in  the  event  of 
steam  communication  being  established  between  New 
Orleans  and  several  ports  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  as  sug 
gested  by  Col.  Butterfield ;  all  of  which  I  fully  concur 
in,  and  which  I  trust  will  serve  to  aid  you  in  your  deci 
sion  on  that  subject. 

The  only  mail  line  of  the  steamers  that  touch  at  this 
port,  are  those  of  the  British  Royal  West  India  Steam 
Packet  Company,  one  of  which  arrives  here  monthly, 
bringing  mails,  passengers  and  quicksilver.  They  usual 
ly  remain  about  forty-eight  hours  for  return  mails,  pas 
sengers  and  specie  ;  returning,  they  touch  at  Vera  Cruz, 
Havana,  Jamaica,  Porto  Rico  and  St.  Thomas,  arid  from 
thence  to  England. 

American  citizens  are  frequently  compelled  to  avail 
themselves  of  the  opportunity  afforded  by  the  steamers 
to  communicate  with  the  United  States,  by  which  means 
they  must  pay,  first,  Mexican  outward  postage ;  second, 
British  steam  postage  ;  third,  Spanish  postage  at  Hava 
na  ;  fourth,  postage  by  the  United  States  mail  steamers 


103 

to  the  final  place  of  destination.  The  expense  of  pla 
cing  a  single  letter  in  the  United  States,  weighing  under 
one  ounce,  by  this  conveyance,  is  one  dollar. 

For  the  performance  of  this  and  the  Brazilian  mail 
service,  the  British  government  pays  an  annual  sum  to 
the  company  of  £270,000.  On  this  coast,  these  steamers 
are  exceedingly  unpopular,  in  consequence  of  the  un 
accommodating  disposition  of  the  officers,  and  the  want 
of  more  suitable  elements  to  facilitate  the  disembarking 
and  embarking  of  the  mails  and  passengers,  their  de 
pendence  for  the  performance  of  such  service,  resting 
entirely  on  the  pilots  at  the  bar,  whose  boats  are  not 
properly  constructed  for  bar  service. 

Steamers  drawing  light,  say  from  8  to  8J-  feet,  can 
invariably  enter  the  river  in  fine  weather,  and  in  boister 
ous  weather  life-boats  so  constructed  as  to  live  in  heavy 
seas,  would  greatly  facilitate  the  mail  service. 

Should  the  mail  contractors  make  arrangements  for 
the  transportation  of  specie  to  Europe  by  a  connecting 
line  of  steamers  in  the  United  States,  at  the  same  rate 
of  freight  which  is  paid  to  the  British  steamers,  say  1£ 
per  cent.,  and  J  per  cent  to  the  agent  for  shipping  the 
same,  they  would  soon  have  the  carrying  of  all  such 
freight,  not  only  from  this,  but  also  from  the  port  of 
Vera  Cruz. 

The  annual  amount  of  specie  exported  from  this  port 
in  British  steamers  since  the  year  1848,  to  the  year  en 
ding  1857,  has  averaged  three  and  a  quarter  millions  of 
dollars.  During  the  year  1858  the  revolutionary  disturb 
ances  throughout  the  Republic,  caused  a  total  suspension 
of  business  between  this  city  and  the  mining  districts, 


104 

and  the  specie  due  to  the  merchants  from  the  interior 
purchasers  of  goods,  was  sent  by  caravans  to  Matamoras 
and  Brownsville,  and  from  thence  embarked  in  United 
States  merchant  steamers  for  New  Orleans,  consequently, 
the  total  amount  of  specie  shipped  at  this  port  per  Brit 
ish  steamers  during  that  period,  was  only  $352,707,  and 
to  the  United  States  in  sailing  vessels,  $691,131. 

The  present  interruption  in  the  intercourse  between 
this  city  and  the  interior,  will  doubtless  be  briefly 
remedied,  and  the  business  will  then  assume  its  wonted 
energy,  and  as  the  exports  of  Mexican  produce  to  the 
United  States  are  on  the  increase,  the  aid  of  steam  com 
munication  will  not  only  be  of  incalculable  benefit  to  the 
trading  community,  but  the  Treasury  of  the  United  States 
will  also  derive  an  augmentation  in  the  duties  growing 
out  of  the  facilities  thus  afforded. 

I  may  venture  to  state  to  you,  that  the  indulgent 
spirit  which  our  Government  has  manifested  towards  the 
Mexican  Republic  since  its  initiation  in  the  family  of  na 
tions,  has  not  had  the  desired  effect,  but,  on  the  contrary, 
it  has  thrown  all  the  advantages  of  trade  into  the  hands 
of  other  foreign  merchants. 

England  and  France  have  a  direct  trade  from  their  own 
ports  to  the  ports  of  Mexico,  whilst  the  Spanish  merchants 
avail  themselves  of  the  facilities  of  owning  and  employ 
ing  vessels  under  the  American  flag,  whose  knowledge 
of  the  language,  and  skill  in  intriguing  with  the  Mexican 
authorities  for  advantages  in  the  customs,  have  driven  our 
merchants  out  of  the  market,  and  nearly  all  the  com 
merce  now  carried  on  between  this  port  and  the  United 
States,  is  in  reality,  in  the  hands  of  Spanish  merchants. 


105 

But  it  is  confidently  expected  that  our  Government 
will  soon  place  us  on  a  more  equitable  footing  with  this 
country,  by  a  renewal  of  diplomatic  negotiations,  and 
then,  by  means  of  frequent  communication,  our  merchants 
will  be  able  to  compete  with  those  of  any  other  nation. 

In  respectfully  submitting  these  remarks  to  your 
superior  consideration,  I  beg  permission  to  subscribe 
myself,  with  the  highest  esteem  and  respect,  sir, 

Your  most  obedient  servant, 

FRANKLIN   CHASE. 

MEMORIAL  OF  THE  MERCHANTS  OF  TAMPICO. 

Tampico,  Feb.  15,  1859. 

SIR  : — We,  the  undersigned  merchants  established  at 
this  port,  having  been  informed  of  a  project  initiated  by 
Colonel  Butterfield,  for  connecting  New  Orleans  by 
means  of  a  weekly  steam  communication,  with  several 
points  in  the  Mexican  Gulf,  and  being  deeply  impressed 
with  the  importance  of  such  an  enterprise,  as  calculated 
to  develop  to  an  incalculable  extent  the  natural  resources 
of  every  section  of  Mexican  territory  coming  within  the 
sphere  of  its  influence,  would  respectfully  solicit  the  ex 
ertion  of  your  influence  with  the  United  States  Govern 
ment,  to  the  end  that  the  port  of  Tampico  be  included  in 
the  contemplated  scheme. 

As  you  are  well  aware,  it  would  be  impossible  for  us 
to  overestimate  the  moral  and  material  advantages 
which  would  be  conferred  on  both  countries  by  a  system 
of  frequent  and  rapid  communication  such  as  Colonel 
Butterfield  proposes  to  establish. 
14 


106 

Friendly  relations  between  the  people  and  govern 
ments  of  the  United  States  and  Mexico  would  thereby 
acquire  additional  strength,  the  existing  trade  attain 
proportions  hitherto  unknown,  and  countless  new  devel 
opments  of  industry  be  rapidly  brought  into  existence. 

With  proper  facilities  afforded  to  its  merchants  in 
their  intercourse  with  the  United  States,  no  other  Mexi 
can  port  in  the  Gulf  could  vie  with  Tarnpico  for  the 
purposes  of  commerce.  Its  geographical  position  ren 
ders  it  the  natural  channel  for  the  transit  of  manufac 
tured  and  other  foreign  goods  destined  to  supply  the 
wants  of  a  thickly  populated  section  of  the  interior, 
embracing  within  its  area  the  great  mining  districts  of 
Guanajuato,  Zacatecas.  and  Catorce,  for  whose  enormous 
productions  of  the  precious  metals  it  is  consequently  the 
outlet,  while  its  exports  of  hides,  goat-skins,  sarsaparilla, 
jalap,  fibre,  vanilla,  fruit,  and  dye-woods,  already  of 
considerable  magnitude,  would,  under  the  vivifying  in 
fluence  of  a  weekly  steamship  communication  with  New 
Orleans  and  the  other  Gulf  ports,  speedily  expand  to  an 
extent  hitherto  unknown  in  its  history. 

Convinced  as  we  are,  that  your  own  personal  ob 
servation  and  experience  during  a  protracted  residence 
at  this  port  will  enable  you  to  bear  testimony  to  the 
accuracy  and  moderation  of  the  foregoing  remarks,  it 
only  remains  for  us,  in  conclusion,  earnestly  to  request 
the  favor  of  your  making  such  representations  in  the 
proper  quarter,  as  will  insure  to  Tampico  a  just  partici 
pation  in  the  general  advantages  which  Colonel  Butter 
field's  scheme  cannot  fail  to  secure  to  the  commerce  of 
both  Republics. 


107 


We  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir,  your  most  obedient  ser 
vants, 

Laquidaien,  Keiford  &  Co.  Eugene  Dauban. 

Lfilong,  Camacho  &  Co.  Joaquin  Matienzo. 

F.  Claussen  &  Co.  V.  Bastien. 

P.  J.  de  la  Lastra.  Manuel  A.  Fernandez. 
C.  Sansette,  Son,  Chabot  &  Co.     Ramon  &  Obregon. 

J.  J.  Promm  &  Co.  Fusco  &  Brother. 

H.  M.  Rugi  &  Co.  Borde  &  Co. 

Gregorio  Oatline.  Conrad  Meyer. 

Droege  &  Co.  Frederico  F.  Schultz. 

Domingo  Ysarri.  S.  W.  Aid  rich. 

F.  Hartoz.  Sidney  Udall. 
M.  Zubazan  &  Co. 

To  FRANKLIN  CHASE,  Esq., 

United  States  Consul,  Tampico. 


LETTER  FROM  CONSUL  AT  MINATITL\N,  (iSTHMUS    OF    TEHUANTEPEC.) 

67.  The  intelligent  and  efficient  Consul  at  Minatitlan, 
(Isthmus  of  Tehuantepec,)  A.  C.  Allen,  Esq.,  writing  to 
the  Department  of  State,  under  date  of  October  1st,  1858, 
as  published  in  the  annual  Report  on  Foreign  Commerce 
for  185S,  says:  "I  learn  that  the  Mexican  Government 
has  made  a  concession  to  an  American  citizen  to  establish 
a  weekly  line  of  mail  steamships  half  under  American, 
and  half  under  Mexican  colors,  from  New  Orleans  or 
Mobile,  touching  at  Galveston,  Matagorda  and  Brazos  de 
Santiago,  Texas,  to  and  from  the  following  Ports  in 
Mexico :  Tampico,  Vera  Cruz  Coatzacoalcos,  Tabasco; 
Laguna,  Campeche  and  Sisal. 


]OS 

If  this  enterprise  is  carried  out,  and  I  have  no  doubt  it 
will  be,  if  the  United  States  Government  will  extend  to 
wards  it  the  same  liberal  patronage  and  assistance  that 
the  Mexican  Government  has  agreed  to  do  it  will  be  the 
means  of  greatly  increasing  our  commerce  with  this 
country,  as  well  as  by  this  constant  and  frequent  com 
munication  be  the  means  of  cementing  more  firmly  a 
now  growing  friendship  between  the  two  people,  while 
to  the  American  merchants  and  those  engaged  in  Ameri 
can  trade  it  will  be  a  most  valuable  convenience  in  re 
ceiving  and  forwarding  letters  and  goods.  It  could  not 
fail  also  to  prove  a  means  of  diverting  in  part  the  large 
trade  which  this  country  now  has  with  Europe  to  the 
United  States.'7 

CONCLUSION. 

69.  These  memorials  and  official  letters  present  the 
subject  of  Steam  communication  with  Mexico  in  so  dis 
tinct  a  form  as  to  leave  nothing  to  be  added ;  their  state 
ments  are  of  themselves  the  strongest  argument  in  favor 
of  the  proposed  line.  With  the  advantage  which  we 
possess  from  contiguity,  we  could  easily,  by  the  adoption 
of  the  means  proposed,  change  places  with  Great  Britain 
on  the  commercial  list.  To  secure  a  treaty  with  Mexico 
for  such  commercial  advantages  as  would  divert  in  our 
favor  a  large  portion  of  her  trade,  our  government  is 
willing  to  pay  millions.  This  same  object  can  be  ob 
tained  without  exciting  the  jealousy  of  other  nations 
by  the  simple  means  which  this  contract  with  the  govern 
ment  affords  and  this  at  the  cost  of  a  comparatively 
insignificant  sum. 


109 

Nor  is  the  aid  asked  for  in  this  matter  a  mere  gratuity. 
All  that  is  desired  is,  that  the  government  should  adopt 
the  contemplated  line  as  a  part  of  its  postal  system, 
dealing  with  it  in  the  same  liberal  spirit  which  has 
characterized  its  relation  to  other  ocean  lines  of  steamers. 
Thus,  without  departing  from  its  established  policy,  or 
invoking  any  extraordinary  power,  it  may  perfect  its 
system  of  postal  arrangements,  and  at  the  same  time 
open  up  a  commerce  which  would  stimulate  the  industry 
of  all  sections  of  our  country. 

It  would  not  be  becoming  in  the  undersigned  to  en 
large  upon  the  political  aspects  of  this  question,  to  those 
whose  knowledge  and  wisdom  have  entitled  them  to 
seats  in  Congress  as  the  political  representatives  of  the 
people.  Besides  which,  it  is  too  apparent  to  need  dis 
cussion,  that  contiguity  and  similarity  of  political  insti 
tutions  demand  that  above  all  other  nations,  we  should 
exert  an  influence  over  Mexican  affairs,  and  this  without 
regard  to  what  has  been  termed  "  our  manifest  destiny/' 

If  these  considerations  are  deemed  worthy  the  atten 
tion  of  the  Government,  the  undersigned  trusts  that  such 
support  will  be  granted  to  him  by  the  present  Congress, 
as  will  justify  him  in  at  once  placing  in  the  most  effective 
operation,  the  important  enterprise  which  has  been  in 
augurated  by  the  Government  of  Mexico. 

CARLOS  BUTTERFIELD. 

Washington  City,  December,  1859. 


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STATISTICS 


OF 


M:   E   x    i    c    o , 


AND 


GENERAL    REMARKS. 


APPENDIX 


CONTENTS. 


Pago 

General  Review  of  the  Republic,  Geographical  Situation  and  Extent 7 

Territorial  Divisions  and  Population  Table  of  States 9 

Division  of  Races.     Number  of  Foreigners  who  took  out  Letters  of  Security  in 

1854 10 

Configuration  of  the  Country 11 

Elevation  of  certain  places  in  the  Republic 12 

Heights  of  the  principal  Mountains 13 

Rivers 13 

Climate 14 

Natural  Wealth  of  the  Republic 16 

Foreign  Commerce  of  Mexico 18 

Importations  from  different  Countries 19 

Distribution  of  Imports  and  Exports 20 

Imports  from  France 21 

Exports  to  France 22 

Statement  of  Merchandise  imported  into  Yera  Cruz  in  1856,  with  the  Yalue. ...  22 

Merchandise  exported  from  Yera  Cruz,  in  1856 26 

Tonnage  entering  and  clearing  from  Mexico 26 

Commerce  with  the  United  States 27 

Shipments  of  Silver  to  the  United  States 30 

Table  of  Yessels  cleared  from  the  United  States  for  Mexico  during  the  Year 

ending  June  30,  1857 31 

Table  of  Yessels  entered  United  States  from,  Mexico  during  the  Year  ending 

June  30,  1857 31 

Table  of  Foreign  Yessels  entered  United  States  from  and  cleared  to  Mexico,  dur 
ing  the  Year  ending  June  30, 1857 32 

Goods  free  of  Duty  under  the  Tariff  now  in  force,  which  is  that  of  January  1, 

1856 '. 32 

Rates  of  Duties  under  the  Mexican  Tariff  of  1856 33 

Additional  Duties  on  Merchandise 36 

Mexican  Custom-House  Regulations  for  Passengers 37 

Article  3d  of  the  General  Ordinance  of  Maritime  and  Frontier  Custom-Houses 

of  the  Mexican  Republic,  of  January  31,  1856,  relating  to  Port  Charges,  &c..  39 


4  CONTENTS. 

Page 

Weights  and  Measures 41 

Land  Measures 42 

Ports  of  entry  for  Foreign  Commerce 42 

Custom-Houses  on  the  Frontier 42 

Ports  open  to  the  Coasting  Trade . * 42 

Mercantile  Marine 43 

Naval  Force  of  Mexico 43 

Domestic  or  Interior  Trade 44 

Means  of  Internal  Transportation 45 

Diligences « . .      47 

Agriculture • 48 

Mines  and  Coinage  of  Mexico 55 

Amount  coined  in  each  of  the  different  Mints  of  Mexico,  from  the  Conquest  to 

1856  inclusive 57 

Total  Coinage  of  the  Mints  of  Mexico  since  the  War  of  Independence 57 

Coinage  of  the  different  Mints  in  1855  and  1856 58 

Coin  in  Circulation 58 

Legal  Exportation  of  Specie  from  all  parts  of  the  Eepublic  for  the  Year  1856. .  59 

Perfection  of  Mining  in  Mexico 59 

Difficulties  of  doing  justice  to  the  subject  in  this  work 60 

Smuggling  Specie  out  of  the  Country 61 

English  Smuggling  in  Mexico  (New  York  Times) , 62 

Enormity  of  the  Contraband  Traffic  carried  on  by  England  in  Mexico 65 

Falsity  of  Mexican  Statistics  of  the  Commerce  of  the  Country 66 

Real  Estate 67 

Manufactures 68 

Cotton-Factories  in  the  Republic  of  Mexico 70 

Prices  of  Iron  in  the  City  of  Mexico 70 

Foreign,  National,  and  Interior  Debt 71 

Government  Revenue 73 

Annual  Expenses  of  Government 74 

Clergy 75 

Revenue  of  the  Clergy 76 

General  Remarks  respecting  the  several  States 79 

Aguascalientes 79 

Chihuahua 79 

Colima 82 

Chiapas 83 

Coajuila .* 85 

Nuevo  Leon 86 

Durango , 87 

Guanajuato 89 

Guerrero 91 

Jalisco 92 

Michoacan 94 

Mexico..  96 


CONTENTS.  5 

Page 

Oajaca 97 

Pucbla 99 

Queretaro 101 

Sonora / .  103 

Sinaloa 107 

San  Luis  Potosi ft , 108 

Tlascala 110 

Tamaulipas Ill 

Tabasco 117 

Vera  Cruz 121 

The  Isthmus  of  Tehuantepec 129 

Yucatan 131 

Zacatecas 139 

Territory  of  Lower  California 141 

District  of  Mexico 143 

City  of  Mexico 144 

Synopsis  of  Mexican  History  and  general  remarks 147 

Remarks  of  the  New  York  Herald 155 

Synopsis  of  the  Platform  of  the  Constitutional  Government  of  Mexico 156 

Synopsis  of  the  Plan  of  Tacubaya,  on  which  the  Government  is  based 157 


GENERAL  REVIEW  OF  THE  REPUBLIC. 


GEOGRAPHICAL    SITUATION    AND    EXTENT. 

THE  territory  of  the  Mexican  Republic  extends  from 
the  15th  to  the  32d  parallel  of  north  latitude,  and  from 
the  86th  to  the  117th  degree  of  longitude,  west  of  Green 
wich. 

Its  boundaries  are  the  Pacific  Ocean  on  the  West ;  the 
United  States  on  the  North ;  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  and  the 
Caribbean  Sea, which  washes  part  of  the  coast  of  Yucatan, 
on  the  East ;  and  the  English  territory  of  the  Balize  and 
the  Central  American  Republic  of  Guatemala  on  the 
South. 

The  dividing  line  between  the  United  States  and 
Mexico,  according  to  the  treaty  of  December  30th,  1853, 
known  as  the  Mesilla  or  Gadsden  Treaty,  is  as  follows  : 
"  Beginning  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  three  leagues  from 
land,  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande,  as  provided 
in  the  5th  article  of  the  treaty  of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo, 
thence,  as  defined  in  th^  said  article,  up  the  middle  of 


that  river,  to  the  point  where  the  parallel  of  31°  47 y  north 
latitude  crosses  the  same :  thence  due  west  one  hundred 
miles :  thence  south  to  the  parallel  of  31°  20 '  north  lati 
tude  :  thence  along  the  said  parallel  of  31°  20'  to  the 
lllth  meridian  of  longitude  west  of  Greenwich  :  thence 
in  a  straight  line  to  a  point  on  the  Colorado  River  twenty 
English  miles  below  the  junction  of  the  Gila  and  Colo 
rado  Rivers ;  thence  up  the  middle  of  said  River  Colo 
rado  until  it  intersects  the  present  line  between  the 
United  States  and  Mexico,"  and  thence  to  the  Pacific  by 
the  line  separating  the  two  Californias,  which,  as  laid 
down  in  the  treaty  of  Guadalupe,  is  as  follows:  "A 
straight  line  drawn  from  the  middle  of  the  Rio  Gila, 
where  it  unites  with  the  Colorado,  to  a  point  on  the  coast 
of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  distant  one  marine  league  due 
south  of  the  southernmost  point  of  the  port  of  San  Diego, 
according  to  the  plan  of  said  port,"  attached  to  the  treaty 

The  extreme  length  of  the  Republic,  north-west  and 
south-east,  measured  on  a  straight  line  from  the  southern 
extremity  of  the  State  of  Chiapas  to  the  northern  limit  of 
Lower  California,  within  one  league  of  the  Bay  of  San 
Diego,  is  upwards  of  2,OCO  miles  :  and  its  extreme  breadth 
at  26  degrees  of  north  latitude,  over  1,100  miles. 

Its  coasts  extend  over  1,600  miles  in  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  and  Carribean  Sea ;  and  upwards  of  4,200  miles 
on  the  Pacific  Ocean  and  in  the  Gulf  of  California. 

Its  northern  frontier  is  l.,792  miles  in  length,  and  its 
southern  532  miles. 

Before  the  treaty  of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo,  and  the 
Mesilla  or  Gadsden  Treaty,  Mexico  comprised  an  area  of 
1,690,317  square  miles  ;  but  by  the  first-mentioned  treaty, 


her  territory  was  reduced  897,650  miles,  and  in  pursu 
ance  of  the  second  26,185  miles;  leaving  its  present 
total  area  766,482  square  miles. 


TERRITORIAL    DIVISIONS    AND    POPULATION. 

The  Republic  of  Mexico  is  divided,  under  the  Consti 
tution  of  1857,  into  twenty-three  States,  one  District,  and 
one  Territory.  The  total  population  is  stated  by  the 
latest  Mexican  authorities  to  be  8,283,088. 

The  Territorial  divisions  and  distribution  of  population  are 

as  follows : 


STATES. 

Area  in 
square 
miles. 

Popula 
tion. 

Averago 
>opulation 
to  square 
mile. 

Capitals  of  States. 

Popula 
tion  of 
Capitals. 

Distance 
from 
Mexico  in 

miles. 

Aguas  Calientes,  

2.647 

80.701 
2,91« 
18,051 
46,857 
14,035 
30,926 
46,645 
22,220 
18,bSl 
70,793 
34,948 
8,581 
1,820 
86,855 
27,194 
32,586 
29,314 
18,996 
1,918 
26,493 
47.253 
26833 
58,620 
87 

83,243 

160,000 
61,243 
161,914 
156,519 
929,431 
270.000 
804.058 
491,679 
1,012554 
212.45'J 
581,962 
655.622 
180,000 
147,133 
393.360 
160.000 
108,514 
75,901 
80,171 
338,859 
680.325 
302,141 
9.000 
230,000 

31.44 
1  98 
2098 
8.96 
3.34 
66.22 
8.73 
17.12 
22  12 
5362 
3. 
16.64 
76.40 
98.90 
1.69 
14.35 
4.91 
3.70 
3.99 
41.79 
12.79 
14.39 
11.26 
15 
2643.67 

Asruas  Calientes.... 

20,000 
12,000 
31.774 
7,659 
12,449 
63398 
6,500 
68,000 
23,000 
12,000 
13,534 
25,000 
75,000 
47,570 
7.000 
33,581 
10,000 
6.1f.4 
5,500 
3.463 
9,647 
23,575 
15,427 
500 
200,000 

364 
867 
447 
752 
528 
244 
182 
414 
180 
42 
612 
281 
72 
148 
1,515 
297 
1,049 
507 
622 
87 
242 
1,005 
339 
1.083 

San  Cristobal  

Guanajuato  

Tixtla    ... 

Jalisco          .           .             

Guadalajara  

Morelia  

Toluca 

Mexico 

,.Nuevo  Leon  y  Coahuila,  
Oajaca  

Monterey    ... 

Oajaca  

Puebla  .                                  

Puebl.-i  

Ures  

San    Luis  Potosi  .  . 
Culiacan  
Ciudad  Victoria  
San  Juan  Biutista  .  . 
Tlaxculu.    

Tabasco 

Tlaxcala,    .   .          

VeraCruz  

Merida.   

Zacatecas  

.-Terrkory  of  Lnver  California,.... 
District  of  Mexico,  

LaPaz  

Total,    . 

766.482 

8,283.088 

10.8 

734.742 

This  table  is  both  interesting  and  important. 

Commencing  on  the  Gulf,  Tamaulipas  has  only  3 
Nuevo  Leon  y  Coahuila  3,    Chihuahua  1 
IrVo,  and  Lower  California  only  T'/O  to  the  square  milo  , 
Sinaloa  has  but  4  7Vo,  and  Durango  3  TVo. 
2 


-Vo,    So  nor  a 


10 


In  the  aggregate,  the  frontier  States  have  but  637,106 
inhabitants,  and,  including  Sinaloa  and  Durango,  their 
population  is  only  953,625,  or  less  than  one  million. 

Yet  these  six  States  and  one  Territory  have  an  area 
of  400,000  square  miles,  or  more  than  one-half  of  the 
entire  Mexican  Republic. 


THE    DIVISION    OF    RACES 

may  be  considered  as  follows : 

Of  pure  European  blood,  one-fifth,  or  say  .  1,656,620 

Of  the  Native  or  Indigenous  race,  T4^ths;or  say          .       2,208,824 
Of  mixed  European  and  Indigenous  blood,  y^ths^or  say    4,417,644 

Total,  .  .  .  8,2^3,08tt 

On  an  average  the  annual  increase  of  the  population 
of  the  Republic  can  be  estimated  at  144,000. 


IN  1854. 


Spaniards, 5,404 

French, '..   2,125 

English, 649 

Germans, 632 

Americans. , 546 

Italians, 231 

Swiss, 

Belgians, 26 

Poles, 

Hungarians 

Danes,...  ............... . 

Swedes, 

Dutch 

Russians, . 

Greeks, 

Algerines, 


4 

Arabs,  

1 

5 

2 

9 

From  the  Canaries,  

2 

2 

Hay  tiens,  .......  

14 

6 

Canadians,  

1 

1 

Guatemalians, 

65 

3 

Peruvians,  ....    ... 

6 

6 

Ecuadorians, 

4 

8 

Venezuelans,  ........ 

7 

1 

5 

6 

.    ...             4 

?! 

Chilians,          . 

9 

1 

Brazilians,  .........    .    . 

1 

4 

Total  

9,864 

1 

4 

11 


The  total  number  of  foreigners  of  both  sexes  who 
actually  reside  in  the  country,  is  estimated  to  be  up 
wards  of  25,000. 

The  number  of  foreigners  resident  in  the  country  con 
tinues  every  year  to  increase,  to  a  certain  extent.  The 
difference  between  the  number  of  foreigners  who  entered 
and  who  left  the  Republic  at  the  several  seaports  during 
the  year  1854,  is  shown  by  the  following  statement : 


Enter'd. 

Left 

Diff.  in  favor  of 
increase  of  pop 
ulation. 

By 
By 

the  Ports  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico, 
Ports  on  Pacific  Ocean,  except  Acapulco,  where  no 

1,911 
646 

1,138 
206 

773 

440 

Total,        

2  557 

1  344 

1  213 

CONFIGURATION    OF    THE    COUNTRY. 

The  geological  structure  or  physiognomy  of  Mexico 
is  peculiar.  The  great  Cordillera  of  the  Andes,  which 
traverses  the  whole  of  South  America,  from  its  southern 
most  limit,  is  exceedingly  depressed  at  the  Isthmus  of 
Panama,  and  again  at  Tehuantepec,  where  it  serves 
merely  to  form  a  barrier  between  the  union  of  the  Pacific 
and  Atlantic.  But  as  soon  as  this  massive  chain  enters 
the  broader  portion  of  North  America,  it  divides  into  two 
gigantic  arms,  one  to  the  east  and  along  the  shores  of 
the  Gulf,  and  the  other  to  the  west  along  the  shores  of 
the  Pacific,  which  support  between  them  a  continuous 
lofty  platform,  or  series  of  table  lands,  crossed  and  inter 
sected  by  innumerable  sierras,  some  .of  which  rise  to  the 
height  of  17,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 


12 


This  geological  structure  prevails  throughout  the 
whole  of  Mexico  ;  but  on  the  eastern  side  the  table  land 
declines,  until,  at  the  Rio  Grande,  on  entering  Texas,  it 
has  reached  the  level  of  that  river :  and  on  the  north 
toward.  El  Paso,  and  along  the  frontier  of  Chihuahua 
and  Sonora,its  general  elevation  has  become  only  some 
3,000  to  4,000  feet. 

The  following  lines  of  elevations  will  illustrate  the  peculiar 
topography  of  Mexico  : 


FROM  VERA  CRUZ  TO  EL  PASO. 

Places.  Altitudes. 

Vera  Cruz 

Orizaba 4,050 

Summit 7,640 

San    Agustin 7,270 

Puebla 7,200 

Mexico 7,500 

Tula 6,730 

San  Juan  del  Rio 6,490 

Queretaro 6,360 

Celaya.T 6,020 

Salamanca 5,760 

Guanajuato 6,840 

Silao 5,910 

Villa  de  Leon 6,130 

Lagos 6,380 

Aguas  Calientes 6,260 

San    Luis  Potosi 6,090 

Zacatecas 8,040 

T'>psnil1o 7,240 

Durango 6,850 

Paras 4,990 

Saltillo 5,240 

El  Bolson  de  Mapini 3,790 

Chihuahua 4,640 

El  Paso  delNorte, 3,810 


FKOM    DURANGO    TO    RIO    GRANDE. 

Places.  Altitudes. 

Durango 6,850 

Saltillo 5,240 

Rinconada 3,380 

Monterey 1.630 

Marin 1,354 

Ceralos 1,006 

Mier 417 

Camargo 422 

Regnosa 104 

MEXICO    TO    ACAPULCO. 

Mexico 7,500 

Amecameca 8,129 

Cuautla. 4,380 

Cuernavaca 4,000 

Matamoras  de  Azucar 3,400 

Mescala.... 1,588 

RioPapagayo 1,000 

Acapulco 

ALTITUDES    OF    MINING    LOCALITIES. 

Guanajuato 6,840 

Fresnillo 7,240 

Zacatecas 8,040 

Pachuca 8,112 

Catorce 8,788 

RealdelMonte 9,000 


13 


HEIGHTS    OF    THE    PRINCIPAL    MOUNTAINS. 


Elevation 
States.          above  the  sea 

Popocatepetl* Mexico...    17,716ft. 

Pico  de  Orizava*  ....  Vera  Cruz .  17,372 

Iztaccecuatl Mexico  ...    15,619 

Cofre  da  Perote Vera  Cruz.   13,410 

Nevado  de  Toluca . . .  Mexico  . . .    14,567 

Zempoaltecatl Oajaca 11,141 

Colima  * Jalisco 12,034 

Pico  de  Quicceo Michoacan.  10,072 


Elevation 
above  the  M* 


.  States. 

Soconusco* Chiapas 7,374  ft. 

Jesus  Maria Chihuahua.  8,238 

Tabacotes do 7,739 

Cerro  del  Mercado.Durango,..  7,923 

Veta  Grande Zacatecas  .  9,126 

BufadeZacatecas do 8,294 

Jorullo* Michoacan .  1 ,683 

Tuxtla*..  ..Vera  Cruz 


NOTE. — The  mountains  marked  thus  [*]  are  volcanoes. 


RIVERS. 

Those  which  flow  through  the  Mexican  territory  are 
divided  into  three  classes,  viz.:  those  which  flow  into 
the  Pacific  Ocean,  those  which  empty  into  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  and  those  which  terminate  in  lakes  and  lagunas, 
as  will  be  seen  by  the  following  table  : 


Rivers. 

States  in  which  situated. 

Length 
in  miles. 

Termination. 

Bravo  del  Norte.. 

New  Mexico,  Chihuahua,  Coahuila, 
and  Tamaulipas 
Tamaulipas                                    ... 

1,427 

286 

Gulf  of  Mexico. 
Do. 

Alvarado 

Vera  Cruz                                      

161 

Do. 

Coatzacoalcos  .... 

Tehuantepec  .......  

145 

Do. 

Grijalva 

Tabasco  .   .                     

344 

Do. 

Osumacinta  ..... 

Do  

341 

Do. 

Rio  Vaqui 

Sonora                             .    . 

357 

Gulf  of  California. 

Do  

208 

Do. 

Fuerte 

Between  Sonora  and  Sinaloa 

278 

Do. 

Culiacan  . 

Sinaloa     ...                  ......  

156 

Do. 

Balzas  

Guerrero,  Michoacan  and  Mexico.. 

419 

Pacific  Ocean. 

Mezquital, 

Durango  and  Jalisco  ..   .......... 

299 

Do 

Santiago 

Jalisco. 

261 

Do. 

Ures 

Sonora...    ......  .  

411 

Lake  of  Sonora. 

Nazas 

Coahuila                                         .... 

282 

Lake  of  the  Caiman. 

Lertna              .... 

Mexico,  Michoacan  and  Guanajuato 

282 

Lake  of  Chapala  con 

tinues  its  course  lu 
Jalisco,  with  name 
of  the  Santiago. 

14 


CLIMATE. 


Mexico  is  divided  into  three  regions,  or  superficial 
strata,  which  are  classed  as  follows : — 

1st.  The  Tierras  Calientes  or  hot  land,  which  embrace 
chiefly  that  portion  of  the  territory  lying  on  the  borders 
of  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific,  and  extend  up  the  slope  of  the 
respective  ranges  to  an  elevation  of  between  three  and 
four  thousand  feet. 

This  division,  however,  is  not  confined  exclusively  to 
the  coast,  for  it  also  includes  such  portions  of  the  in 
terior  as  do  not  exceed  this  elevation,  and  where  there 
is  heat  and  moisture  enough  to  produce  the  fruits  of  the 
tropics. 

2d.  The  Tierras  Templadas  or  temperate  regions, 
comprise  all  that  greater  portion  of  the  Republic  having 
an  elevation  of  between  four  thousand  and  eight  thou 
sand  feet,  embracing  the  whole  of  the  vast  plateau 
stretched  between  the  mountains  of  the  Gulf  and  those 
of  the  Pacific  slope.  This  is  the  characteristic  region 
of  Mexico,  and  includes  within  its  limits  all  the  great 
centres  of  population  of  the  Republic. 

3d.  The  Tierras  Frias,or  cold  lands.  These  comprise 
the  mountainous  districts  rising  above  the  level  of  the 
"  Tierras  Templadas  "  up  to  the  limit  of  constant  snow. 

Between  these  elevations  of  eight  thousand  and  three 
thousand  feet,  a  considerable  Indian  population, hardy  and 
independent,  are  to  be  found  upon  the  Sierras,  and  also 
within  it  are  many  of  the  most  extensive  mining  districts 
of  the  country. 


15 

Though  Mexico  extends  into  both  the  Temperate  and 
the  Torrid  zones,  its  climate  it  will  be  seen  depends  less 
upon  latitude  than  upon  elevation. 

In  general,  the  Republic,  with  the  exception  of  the 
c.oast  and  a  few  other  places  which  from  their  situation 
are  extremely  hot,  enjoys  an  even  and  temperate  climate, 
free  from  the  extremes  of  heat  and  cold,  in  consequence 
of  which  the  most  of  the  hills  in  the  cold  regions  are 
covered  with  trees,  which  never  lose  their  foliage,  and 
often  remind  the  traveler  of  the  beautiful  scenery  of  the 
valleys  of  Switzerland.  In  Tierra  Caliente  we  are  struck 
by  the  groves  of  mimosas,  liquid  amber,  palms,  and  other 
gigantic  plants  characteristic  of  tropical  vegetation ;  and 
finally,  in  Tierra  Templada,  by  the  enormous  haciendas, 
many  of  which  are  of  such  extent  as  to  be  lost  to  the 
sight  in  the  horizon  with  which  they  blend. 

The  Mexicans  are  not  accustomed  to  separate  the  year 
into  four  seasons  of  spring,  summer,  autumn,  and  winter, 
for  the  variation  of  temperature  scarcely  authorizes  such 
marked  distinctions  of  climate ;  but  they  divide  the 
twelve  months  into  two  grand  divisions  of  "the  dry 
season"  and  "the  rainy  season." 

The  latter  commences  about  May  and  lasts  usually 
four  months,  whilst  the  dry  season  comprises  the  re 
mainder  of  the  year. 


16 


NATURAL  WEALTH  OF  THE  REPUBLIC. 

Under  this  head,  Sr.  Lerdo  de  Tejada,  in  his  Cuadro 
Sinoptico,  remarks,  '  It  would  not  be  possible  in  a  synop 
tical  view  of  this  kind  to  give  a  full  scientific  and  minute 
description  of  all  the  various  elements  of  wealth  which 
exist  in  Mexico.  We  shall  therefore  content  ourselves 
with  simply  indicating  several  of  the  most  important 
items,  in  order  to  give  some  faint  idea  of  the  immense 
wealth  which  is  contained  in  and  upon  the  soil  of  Mexico. 

To  commence  with  the  animal  kingdom.  The  various 
quadrupeds  which  minister  to  the  use  of  man  for  food  or 
other  purposes,  abound  in  such  quantities  that,  owing 
either  to  the  smallness  of  population,  or  to  the  little 
use  made  by  the  great  mass  of  the  people  of  meat 
for  their  daily  food,  there  is  not  perhaps  any  other 
country  in  the  world  where  cattle  sell  so  cheap  as 
in  Mexico.  Wild  animals,  valuable  as  articles  of  food, 
are  found  in  equal  abundance  throughout  the  country. 
The  number  of  horses  and  asses  is  enormous.  The 
same  may  be  said  of  mules,  which  are  commonly  em 
ployed  for  carriages,  for  agricultural  labors,  and  for 
working  in  the  mines. 

Of  birds  fit  for  food  there  are  above  seventy  different 
sorts  in  the  Republic.  Of  the  birds  which  are  distin 
guished  by  the  beauty  of  their  plumage  and  the  sweet 
ness  of  their  song^ there  are,  according  to  Clavejero,  about 
fifty  or  sixty  different  species. 

As  regards  fish  they  are  found  in  immense  numbers 
and  of  great  variety,  both  on  the  coasts  of  the  Gulf  and 


the  Pacific,  as  well  as  in  the  lakes  and  streams  of  the 
interior.  In  speaking  of  fisheries  we  ought  not  to  omit 
to  mention,  as  a  part  of  the  natural  wealth  of  Mexico, 
the  tortoise-shell  fishery  on  the  coast  of  Yucatan,  which 
yields  very  abundantly  ;  and  also  the  pearl  fisheries  on 
the  coast  of  Lower  California,  and  at  other  places  on  the 
Pacific  shore. 

All  kinds  of  productions  belonging  to  the  vegetable 
kingdom  are  produced  in  Mexico. 

The  elevated  part  of  the  country  is  capable  of  pro 
ducing  every  kind  of  grain  or  fruit  raised  in  Europe, 
while  the  lower  portions  of  the  country  yield  every  pro 
duction  of  the  tropics. 

It  may  be  said  that  the  soil  of  Mexico  is  the  most 
fertile  in  the  world.  There  are,  it  is  true,  outside  of 
the  torrid  zone,  some  tracts  which,  from  want  of  water, 
are  unproductive  ;  but  in  all  other  parts  the  laborer,  with 
very  little  work  and  trouble,  is  sure  to  reap  a  rich  -and 
abundant  recompense  for  his  toil.  In  some  places  the 
production  is  almost  fabulous,  where  for  one  bushel  of 
maize  or  Indian  corn  put  into  the  ground,  the  return  is 
from  250  to  300  bushels. 

Various  kinds  of  trees  are  to  be  found  in  Mexico, 
useful  for  the  valuable  gums  which  distill  from  their 
trunks,  such  as  the  india-rubber  or  gum -elastic  tree* 
the  copal,  the  gum -lac,  the  liquid  amber,  and  others* 
Medicinal  plants  of  all  kinds  also  abound. 

Of  timber  trees  there  are  immense  forests,  which 
afford  woods  of  great  beauty  and  solidity. 

Dye-woods  are  produced  in  great  quantities,  especially 
in  the  Isle  of  Carmen,  and  on  the  coast  of  Vera  Cru/, 
3 


18 

and  Tamaulipas  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  on  the 
coasts  of  the  Pacific. 

To  the  great  variety  and  riches  of  the  vegetable  king 
dom,  may  be  added  the  extraordinary  mineral  ^wealth 
which  abounds  in  Mexico.  Besides  gold  and  silver 
(which  are  principally  worked,}  there  are  rich  and  abun 
dant  mines  of  iron,  copper,  mercury,  tin,  lead,  zinc,  cobalt, 
coal,  sulphur,  salt,  porcelain  clay,  and  other  minerals.  As 
mining,  perhaps  more  than  agriculture,  forms  the  chief 
branch  of  national  industry,  a  great  part  of  the  inhabit 
ants  are  to  be  found  occupied  in  the  mines  or  some  of 
the  numerous  branches  of  works  connected  therewith. 

Mexico  also  produces  precious  stones,  as  the  ruby, 
amethyst,  topaz,  opal,  garnets,  pearls,  agate,  chalcedony, 
and  other  precious  stones. 

Marble  and  stones  of  all  kinds  fit  for  building,  are  also 
found  in  abundance." 


FOREIGN    COMMERCE    OF    MEXICO. 

The  total  annual  value  of  the  foreign  importations 
into  the  Republic  of  Mexico  is  estimated  by  Sr.  Lerdo 
cle  Tejada  at  $26,000,000  and  of  exportations  at 
$28,000,000,  making  a  total  foreign  interchange  of  im 
ports  and  exports  of  $54,000,000  per  annum  The 
general  prevalence  of  contraband  trade,  particularly  along 
the  Pacific  coast,  renders  it  difficult  however  to  arrive  at 
the  total  importations  of  merchandise  or  exportations  of 
specie  ;  and  the  entire  commerce  legal  and  illegal,  may  be 
considered  nearly,  if  not  quite  double  the  above  amount. 


19 

The  difference  in  favor  of  the  exports  as  given  above, 
is  attributed  to  the  large  sums  annually  exported  by  the 
government  in  payment  of  interest  on  the  foreign  debt, 
and  to  the  large  amounts  exported  by  foreigners  who, 
after  some  residence  in  Mexico,  return  to  their  homes. 

The  imports  consist  chiefly  of  cotton,  linen,  woolen, 
and  silk  fabrics,  as  well  as  cotton  and  silk  in  their  raw 
state,  brandies,  wines,  liquors,  oil,  earthenware,  glass, 
quicksilver,  iron,  guns,  steel,  tin,  hardware,  watches, 
jewelry,  paper,  machinery,  wax,  cocoa,  carriages,  furni 
ture,  musical  instruments,  books,  and  other  articles  of 
minor  importance. 

The  exports  are  principally  of  gold  and  silver,  in  coin 
and  bars,  of  which  precious  metals  an  amount  equal  to 
twenty-two  or  twenty-three  millions  are  annually  ex 
tracted.  The  remaining  five  or  six  millions  is  made  up 
by  cochineal,  vanilla,  tobacco,  coffee,  jalap,  sarsaparilla, 
American  aloe,  flax,  copper,  hides,  tallow,  timber,  cattle, 
logwood,  indigo,  cocoa,  pepper,  salt,  tortoise-shell,'  pearls, 
mother-of-pearl,  meat  and  fish  salted,  rice,  beans,  hats, 
woolen  fabrics,  biscuit,  fruit,  sugar  preserves,  and  other 
articles  of  small  value. 

The  importations  from  different  countries,  as  estimated 
by  Sr.  Lerdo  de  Tejada,  in  1856,  are  as  follows : 

Great  Britain $12,500,000 

United  States 4500,000 

France 4,500,000 

Germany 1,860,000 

Spain 700,000 

Belgium 300,000 

Sardinia ; 90.000 

Guatemala,  Ecuador,  New  Granada,  Venezuela  and  Chili ..  250,»»00 

Island  of  Cuba _ 600,000 

India  and  China 700,000 


$26,000,01)0 


20 

The  exports  of  Mexico  are  mainly  shipped  in  the 
shape  of  silver  coin  and  bullion  direct  to  England,  by 
the  British  Steamers  which  touch  at  Vera  Cruz  and 
Tampico,  and  by  British  men-of-war  from  the  Pacific 
coast. 

The  balance  goes  principally  to  the  United  States,  and 
small  amounts  to  other-  countries  with  which  Mexico  has 
commercial  relations. 

The  total  commerce,  imports  and  exports,  is  distributed 
nearly  as  follows  : 

Exchanges  with  England         ......  $33,400.000 

"  United  States  (1858),     ....  8,700,000 

"  France           ......  5.500,000 

•«  Germany            ......  2,000,000 

"  Spain             ...                           .  1,200,000 

"  Belgium              ......  400,000 

"  Sardinia        .....  100,000 

"  Guatemala,  Ecuador,  New  Granada,  Venezuela  and  Chili       500,000 

"  Island  of  Cuba   .                                        ...  1,200,000 

"  India  and  China      .....  1,000,000 


Total,  .  $54,000,000 

The  importations  from  Great  Britain  into  Mexico  may 
be  illustrated  from  a  report  made  by  order  of  Parliament. 
For  a  period  of  seven  years  from  1840  to  1846,  both 
included,  the  sum  total  of  the  value  of  the  imports 
was  nearly  $82,246,705,  making  an  average  value  of 
$12,000,000  per  annum. 

The  principal  articles  of  import  were  as  follows  ;  drugs, 
haberdashery  and  wearing  apparel,  arms  and  ammuni 
tion,  malt  liquors,  printed  books,  manufactures  of  brass 
and  copper,  furniture,  carriages,  coals,  cordage,  manu 
factures  of  cotton,  earthenware  of  all  kinds,  glassware, 


21 

hardware  and  cutlery,  hats,  iron  and  steel  in  bars, 
manufactured  lead,  prepared  skins,  harness  and  saddles, 
manufactures  of  flax,  machinery  and  machines,  and 
musical  instruments. 

Of  these  articles,  cotton  fabrics  rank  highest,  the 
estimated  value  of  the  importations  for  the  seven  years 
amounting  to  more  than  $57,000,000,  while  those  of 
linen  (which  come  next  in  order  of  value)  were  more 
than  $12,000,000,  leaving  only  some  $12,000,000,  or 
$13,000,000,  as  the  aggregate  value  of  all  the  other 
imports  from  Great  Britain  into  Mexico. 

The  character  and  value  of  merchandise  entering  into 
the  commercial  movement  of  Mexico  with  France,  may 
be  exemplified  by  those  of  the-  year  1851,  as  exhibited 
in  the  following  statement  made  up  from  data  furnished 
by  the  official  returns  of  France  : 

IMPORTS    FROM     FRANCE. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  MERCHANDISE.  VALUE. 

Manufactures  of  silk $1,249,038 

"           of  cotton 644.134 

of  wool 625,447 

of  glass 328,583 

Engravings,  books,  £c 278,065 

Wines 245,693 

Arms 231,419 

Manufactures  of  metal 179830 

Haberdashery,  &T 126,549 

Rabit  and  Hare  skins 504,216 

Mechanical  and  other  tools 103,040 

Dressed  skins 67,017 

Cutlery 56.851 

Fish,  pickled,  &c 55516 

Artificial  flowers  &  Fancy  Goods  47,310 

Spirits  and  Liquors 47,257 

Manufactures  of  Hemp  &  Flax  45,92 1 


DESCRIPTION  OP    MERCHANDISE.  VALUE 

Perfumery $42,957 

Precious  Stones 40,UO<) 

Clocks  and  Watches 39,943 

Carriages,  &c 32.63'» 

Jewelry 35,553 

Furniture 32,58 1 

Machines  and  Machinery 25,541 

Musical  Instruments.... 23,008 

Stearine  oil 21.675 

Medicines 19.867 

Iron  and  Steel 19,747 

Prepared  skins 19,298 

Silk  (raw  and  manufactured)...  15,861 

Toys 15,073 

Olive  oil 13,976 

Umbrellas  and  Parasols  (silk) . .  13,525 

Sundries 221,966 

$5,469,167 


•22 


EXPORTS    TO    FRANCE. 


Cochineal, 

Vanilla, 

Dye-woods, 

Sarsaparilla  and  Jalap, 

Hides,       . 

Indigo, 

Pepper, 


$337,025 
209,400 
405,429 
16,355 
4,014 
3,731 
3,638 

Copper, 2,164 

Sundry  articles, 132,930 


$1,144,686 

The  reason  of  the  shipments  thither  of  the  precious 
metals  being  so  small  in  amount,  is,  that  exchanges 
with  England  can  always  be  more  conveniently  arranged 
than  with  France  direct. 

The  importations  into  Mexico  from  Germany  consist 
principally  of  linen  textures,  such  as  Silesian  linen,  creas, 
&c  ,  &c.  ;  to  which  are  added,  in  smaller  quantities, 
some  chintzes,  muslins,  silk  handkerchiefs,  cloths,  cassi- 
meres,  crystals,  plain  glass,  fine  and  common  hardware, 
arms,  carriages,  furniture,  pianos,  &c. 

The  following  statement  in  detail  of  the  imports  and 
exports  of  the  port  of  Vera  Cruz  for  the  year  1856,  can 
be  fully  relied  upon,  the  same  being  from  the  department 
of  finance. 

Statement  of  merchandise  imported  into  Vera  Cruz  during 
the  year  1856,  showing  the  respective  value  of  each 
article. 


rrovisions,   Wines,  Oils,  $c. 

Olive  oil $142,107 

Spirits 238,063 

Beer 12,021 

Cognac 11,382 

Gin 19,200 

Liquors 19,392 

Vinegar 6,339 

White  Wine 163,578 

Champagne 11,592 

Common  Claret 232.583 

$856,317 


Meats,  Sundries. 

Pork,  Beef $374 

Beef 410 

Sausages 5,626 

Ham 3,858 

$10,268 


Groceries 

Saffron   $35,523 

Cinnamon 155.221 

Cloves 18,736 

Nutmegs 380 

Mustaid 1,707 

Marjoram 115 

Pepper 2,962 


0214,644 


Fruits. 


Olives $10,707 

Capers 8,93 1 

Almonds   70.057 

Nuts 2,085 

Chestnuts 52 

Cherries 7,961 

Figs 6,261 

Walnuts 197 

Raisins 13,311 


Grain. 


$119,562 


Cocoa $120,391 

Wheat  (flour) 34,794 

Maize 5,934 


Fish. 


$161,119 


Dried  Cod . $20,897 

Sardines  145,378 

Fish,  various 2,141 


$168,416 

Provisions  not  included  in  the  preceding 
classification. 

Su?ar $12,766 

Preserves 6,940 

Pickles 2060 

Vermicelli 18.935 

Biscuit 3,719 

Lard 3,837 

Butter 13,165 

Ice 20,190 

Potatoes 543 

Cheese 15,898 

Tea 33,860 


$136,913 
Manufactures,  Cotton,  <fyc. 

Cotton  Stripes $11,616 

English  Diaper 7,286 

Cambrics   25,643 

Printed  Cantons 41,309 

Cotton  Vestings   370 


Tapes   

$69,424 

Bed  Ticks  

21.194 

Cottonades  ..  ..... 

19,004 

Assorted  Satteens  .  . 

64,585 

Cotton  Creas  

73,850 

15,890 

Drills  

85,773 

Cotton  Lace.  

41,184 

Gloves  

226 

White  English  Yarn  .. 

92,686 

White  Sewing  Cotton  . 

94,900 

Striped  Cottons  

35,942 

6,004 

Silesias  

73,442 

1,119,083 

Broadcloths  

113,000 

219,787 

Stockings  and  Socks  .. 

34,407 

645,616 

Velveteen*  

126,690 

Shawls.  

748 

Handkerchiefs  

280,099 

Umbrellas  ....  .... 

3,625 

Skins  

11,840 

Piquet  

4,246 

Irish  Linen  

121,787 

Tarletan  

607 

Towels  and  Napkins... 

5,766 

Tulle  

4,995 

Dresses  

91,900 

Chintzes  

1,269,093 

Unclassified  Cottons  

32,991 

$4,861,611 

Manufactures, 

Woolen. 

Carpeting  

$27,193 

Alpaca  

12,917 

Buyrta  

30,172 

Cassimeres,  Doeskins.. 

407,794 

Cassinettes  

12,533 

10,846 

Tapes  and  Braid  

119 

144 

Damasks  

6.577 

Tartans  

7,103 

Woolen  Yarns  

7,022 

Flannel  

11  ,038 

Gloves  

2,224 

2,169 

936 

Merinoes  

40,490 

Muslin  de  Laine  ...... 

105,337 

130,506 

Shawls  

128,660 

Serge  

4,941 

Unclassified  Woolens 

3,087 

$953,460 

24 


Linens. 

German  Diaper $2,530 

Bleached  Sheeting 43,417 

Britannias 110343 

Russia  Sheeting 177,116 

10  m  Hessians 4,811 

Tapes 6,018 

Coletas 4,194 

Linen  Ticks 1,437 

Creas 217,872 

Crehuelas 42,849 

Drills 45,529 

Lace 570 

Long  Lawn „  24,177 

Thread 3,419 

Holland   Lin™.... 50,963 

Irish  Linens 8,226 

Striped  Linens 601 

Lin^n  Cambrics ....  2,162 

Stockings  and  Socks 1,941 

Canvas 5,179 

Handkerchiefs 39,300 

Platillas 182,975 

Ducks - 1,617 

Towels  and  Napkins 7,155 

Unclassified   Linens...             1,601 


$986,002 


Silks. 


Ribbon  ......................  $46,  18  1 

Scarfs  and  Cravats  ............  18,049 

Crape  .......................  357 

Vestings.  ....................  2,490 

Damasks  .....................  486 

Lace  and  Blonds  ..............  16,400 

Gauzo  .......................  3,012 

Gloves...-  ...................  6,552 

Mantillas  and  Scarfs  ...........  6,419 

Mantillas  .......  .............  1  1,740 

Stockings  .  ................  ...  4,724 

Hankerchiefs  .................  125.  628 

Shawls  ......................  167,932 

Umbrellas  and  Parasols  ........  3,930 

Satin  ........................  7,628 

Serge  .......................  2,455 

Raw  Silk  ....................  152,294 

Tafeta  .......................  2,283 

Velvets  .....  «.  ................  4,982 

Dresses  .....................  32,020 

Sundry  Silks  .................  845,595 

Unclassified  Silks  .............  293,400 

$1,754,557 
Cotton  and  Linen  Mixtures. 


Arabias 


$4,126 
529 


Britannias  ...................  $19082 

"-  ....................     42,512 

Ticks  .........  . 

' 


7Q  334 
Crehuelas 6^674 

703 


Damasks 

Drills  .......  ...._ 

PJatillas  ..........  ."."  ""„'.""  "  "."  " 

Silesias  ............. 

Towels  and  Napkins  ____  ...'.'. 


17,505 

62,573 

9,345 

585 


$239,017 

Cotton  and  Woolen  Mixtures. 

Alpacas $40,047 

Cassimeres 37,342 

Cassinettes 45,121 

Ribbons 33 

Vestings _• 3,495 

Damasks 12,530 

Tartans 20,369 

Flannels 5,595 

Muslins 30,208 

Shawls 2,736 

Serge 1.676 

Dresses 2,029 


$201,181 

Cotton  and  Silk  Mixtures. 

Ribbons $18,166 

Handkerchiefs  and  Ties 4,151 

Vestings 20,073 

Lace 244 

Mantillas  and  Scarfs 6,122 

Plush 4,604 

Handkerchiefs 257 

Muslins 3,459 

Shawls 640 

Satin 12,834 

Fabinet 787 

Tarletan 76 

Velvet 12.239 

Dresses 24,3 1 7 

Unclassified  mixtures 52,109 

$160,078 

Silk  and  Woolen  Mixtures. 

Bombazine $1,052 

Vestings 7,505 

Muslins 9,314 

Shawls 18,715 

Dresses 7, 1 10 

Unclassified  mixtures 3,992 

$47,688 


Metal*. 

Flirete  Paper  for  Cigars  . 

$218,818 

Steel 

$13  299 

Printing  Paper 

12,600 

Copper         .         .      '  .         .  ~ 
Solder     .         ... 

1,101 
52 

Sundry  Papers 
Perfumery 

5,770 
112,284 

Iron                     .         .         .         . 

102,993 

Pianos              .... 

51,647 

Tin  Plates      .... 

23,783 

Calf  Skins 

54,472 

Brass 

9,104 

Morocco          .... 

7  272 

Manufactured  Silver     .         .,.,'• 

.    13.82 

Imitation  Morocco 

1^880 

T  p.,.1 

21  4.  '2 

Paints    

26,552 

Zinc     

2,487 

Gunpowder 

38,830 

Ready-made  Clothing     . 

135,813 

$156,853 

Tallow        .... 

120 

Seeds               .... 

2,110 

Hats  and  Felt     . 

13,014 

Merchandise  not  classified  under 

the  above 

Tobacco,  manufactured  . 

15,668 

heads. 

leaf     . 

862 

"         snuff 

11  244 

Fans         
Raw  Cotton 
Pitch  and  Tar 
Fire-arms     .... 
Dutch  Glaze     .... 
Manufactured  Hessians 
Coals                  .... 

$65,632 
1,233,534 
3,225 
42,857 
2,430 
10,534 
5.648 

Writing  Ink       . 
Printing  Ink 
Printing  Type    . 
Stearic  and  Sperm  Candles     . 
Articles  saved  from  wreck  and 
sold  at  auction   . 

'916 
5,556 
2,572 
100,527 

10,693 

Carriages  and  Wagons 
Wax         

30,790 
397.919 

$ 

>6,649,5G6 

Cigarettes    .... 

114,030 

Crystal  and  Glass     . 
Ironmongery         ... 
Artificial  Flowers 

138,105 
307,704 
34,007 

Recapitulation  of  the  vdue  of  the 
Merchandise. 

Preceding 

Demijohns 

7,487 

Wines,  Oils,  &c. 

$856,317 

Musical  Instruments 

48,314 

Meats             .... 

10,268 

Kid  Gloves 

20,142 

Groceries 

214,644 

Hay         .         .                  .         . 

634 

Fruits             .... 

119,562 

Soap             .... 

17,434 

Grain        .... 

161,119 

Ropes      

844 

Fish       

168,416 

Fine  Jewelry 

242,641 

Sundry  Provisions     . 

136,913 

Bricks     

2,340 

Cotions,  Broadcloths,    &c. 

4,861,611 

Books           .... 

127,075 

Woolens    .... 

953,460 

Earthenware    .... 

154,460 

Linens    ..... 

986,002 

Timber         .... 

5,880 

Silks          .... 

1,754,557 

Machinery        .... 

320,272 

Cotton  and  Linen  Mixtures     . 

239,017 

Marbles        .... 

8,185 

Cotton  and  Woolen  Mixtures 

201,181 

Medicines  and  Chemicals 

165,073 

Cotton  and  Silk  Mixtures    . 

160,078 

Hardware    .... 

2,234,818 

Wool  and   Silk  Mixtures 

47,688 

Furniture         .... 

34,078 

Metals        . 

158,853 

Writing  Paper 

28,100 

Hardware  and  Sundries  . 

6,649,566 

Wrapping  Paper 

<U30 

$1 

7,677,252 

26 


EXPORTS  FROM  VERA  CRUZ. 


Value  of  merchandise  exported  from  Vera  Cruz  during  the 

year  1856. 


Cocoa         .         .         • 

.      $1,109 

.      $2,883 

Coffee  . 
Copper 
Chile  Pepper 
8  -vrrls     .  . 
Chocolate    . 
Stuffed  Buds    . 
Pd.tris 
Hides       . 

P.-pper 

.     1,705 
.       27,692 
•   .         .         102 
65 
99 
380 
.       2,500 
99,345 
1,205 

Beans  
Grain        .... 
Printed  Books 
Wo  d       . 
Coined  Gold 
Saddles  .... 
Cigars         .... 
Tobacco  in  leaf 
Vanilla        .... 

702 
.     383.758 
285 
.412 
.  512,722 
.      120 
322 
11,561 
.    164.131 

Medicinal  Plants 
Coined  Silver 

.   1,021 
7,653,341 
1  (}  Q^9 

Sar^aparilla     . 
Sundries     .... 

5,127 
4,322 

JYlciiiuiticturcu,  oilvcr 
Jewelry     . 
Jalap     .... 

•                   •     lUf\7c>O 

.       17,870 
.  39,089 

Total, 

$8.942,829 

By  a  careful  perusal  of  the  foregoing  notes,  it  will  be 
readily  perceived  that  the  greater  part  of  the  articles 
therein  enumerated,  might  be  articles  of  direct  impor 
tation  and  exportation  between  the  United  States  and 
Mexico,  and  that  such  will  be  the  case  does  not  admit  of 
a  doubt  if  the  commercial  communication  between  the 
two  countries  is  opened  upon  a  reliable  basis. 


TONNAGE    ENTERING   AND    CLEARING     FROM    MEXICO. 

The  number  of  vessels  engaged  in  the  foreign  trade 
of  Mexico  during  the  year  1 854,  including  such  as  only 
brought  passengers  and  mails,  and  took  off  precious 
metals,  were  as  follows : 


Ports.                   No.  of  vessels. 
Vera  Cruz     ...   156 
Tampico     ....  53  ... 
Tabasco   ....      30     .. 
Island  of  Carmen     .  48  .     .     . 
Campeche    ...      24     .     .     . 
Sisal      27  ... 
Mazatlan      ...      31     .     .     . 

Tonnage. 
52,513 
.     7,790 
4,134 
.  10,994 
2,971 
.    4,024 
7,163 

Ports. 
San  Bias 
Manzanillo 
Guaymas 
La  Paz 
Acapulco 

No.  of  vessels. 
...  22  ... 
.     .     12     .     .     . 
12  ... 
1     ... 
...  68  ... 

Tonnage. 
.       5,982 
2,787 
.      2,883 
131 
.    90,351 

484 

191,723 

27 

The  large  amount  of  tonnage  exhibited  by  Acapulco, 
which  is  nearly  double  the  amount  entered  at  Vera' 
Cruz,  is  owing  to  the  American  mail  steamers  touching 
at  the  former  port  twice  a  month  on  their  way  to  and 
from  San  Fran^sco,  California,  and  which  of  themselves 
almost  make  up  the  amount. 


COMMERCE    WITH    THE    UNITED    STATES. 

The  following  statement,  made  up  fr(m  United  States 
Treasury  Reports,  shows  the  commercial  transactions 
between  Mexico  and  the  United  States  from  1S26  to 


Years 


Exportation  from 
Mexico  to  U.  S. 


1826 

.  83,916,000 

1827 

.   5.232,000 

1828 

4,814,000 

1829 

5,026.761 

1830 

.   5.235,241 

1831 

5,167,000 

1832 

.   4,293.954 

1833 

5,459.818 

1834 

.   8,666,668 

1835 

9,490446 

1836 

.   5,615,819 

1837 

5,654  002 

1838 

3,127,153 

1839 

5,500,707 

1840 

4,175,000 

1841 

3,484,957 

1842 

1,996,694 

1843 

2,782,406 

1844 

2,387,000 

nportation  from 
S.  into  Mexico. 

v               Exportation  from 
ar9'         Mexico  to  U.  S. 

Tmportation  from 
U.S.  into  Mexico. 

$6,281,000 

1845       .        1,7«  2,936 

1,152,331 

4,173,000 

H46 

1,836,621 

1,531,180 

2,886.000 

1847 

746,818 

692.428 

2,331,151 

1848 

1,581,247 

4,058.446 

4,837,458 

1849 

2,216,719 

2,090,868 

6,178,<'00 

1850 

2.135.36S 

2,012,827 

3,467,541 

1851 

1,804.779 

1,581,783 

5,408,091 

1852 

1,649,206 

2,284,929 

5,265.053 

1853 

2,167.985 

3,558,824 

9,029,221 

1854 

3,463,190 

3,135,486 

6,040,635 

1855 

2,882,830 

2,922,804 

3,880,323 

1856 

3,568,681 

3,702,239 

2,787,362 

1857 

5.985,857 

3,615,206 

2,164,097 

1858 

5,477,465 

3,315,825 

2,515,341 

2,036,620 
1,534,493 

Total  -$129,245,326 

$109,737,332 

1,471,937 
1,794,833 

Average    )  $3  916  525 
per  annum  5  w 

$3,325,377 

The  following  in  a  statement  of  the  trade  between  the 
United  States  and  Mexico  for  the  year  ending  June  30th, 
1856: 

Exports  of  Domestic  Products  from  the  U.  S.  to  Mexico. 

In  American  Vessels $1,785,106 

In  Foreign  Vessels 679,836 

$2,464,942 


*  23 

Exports  of  Foreign  Products,  U.  S.  to  Mexico. 
In  American  Vessels 1067,490 

In  Foreign  Vessels 169,807 

$1,237,297 


Total  Exports,  U.  S.  to  Mexico $3,702,239 

Imports  from  Mexico  into  the  United  States. 

In  American  Vessels $2,899,212 

In  Foreign  Vessels 669,469 

Total  Imports  from  Mexico  into  U.  S.     .     .     .     $3,568,681 

Total  trade  between  Mexico  and  the  United  States  for" 

the  year  ending  June  30th,  1856       ....     $7,270,920 

Of  above  Imports,  the  amount  free  of  duty,  was     .     .     $2,794,^89 
"  '  "         paying  duty,  "    .     .  773,792 

Total  Imports   ....     $3,568,681 

$8,235  of  above  Imports  was  in  Gold  Bullion 

28.451            "  "  "     Silver  Bullion 

65,162           "  "  "     Coined  Gold 

2613,075           "  "  "     Coined  Silver 


$2,714,923     .     .     Total  amount  in  Gold  and  Silver. 

The  following  is  a  statement  of  the  trade  between  the  U.  S. 
and  Mexico,  for  the  year  ending  June  30th,  1857. 

Exports  of  Domestic  Products  from  the  U.  S.  to  Mexico. 
In  American  Vessels        $2,229,822 

In  Foreign  Vessels        ......  787,818 

$3,017,640 

Exports  of  Foreign  Products,  U.  S.  to  Mexico. 
In  American  Vessels 380,938 

In  Foreign  Vessels 216,628 

597,566 


Total  Exports,  U.  S.  to  Mexico         ....     $3,615,206 


29 

Imports  from  Mexico  into  the  United  States. 

In  American  Vessels     .     .     .'....     3,701,317 
In  Foreign  Vessels      .     ...'..;.   ,,       2,284,540 

Total  Imports  from  Mexico  into  U.  S.     .     .    .     5,985,857 

Total  trade  between  Mexico  and  the  U.  S.  for  the  year 

ending  June  30th,  1857 $9,601,063 

Of  above  Imports,  the  amount  free  of  duty,  was  .     .     $5,021,291 
"  4<"  u         paying  duties,  "       .  964566 

Total  Imports       ....     $5,985,857 
$21,848  of  above  Imports  was  in  Gold  Bullion 
200,546  "  "      Silver  Bullion 

114,044  "  "  "      Coined  Gold 

4,622546  "  "  "       (Coined  Silver 


$4,958,984     .     .     Total  amount  in  Gold  and  Silver. 


It  will  be  observed  that  the  foregoing  statements  show 
a  total  interchange  of  trade  between  the  United  States 
and  Mexico  of  $9,601,063,  for  the  year  ending  30th  of 
June,  1857;  being  much  larger  than  the  average  amount 
for  the  preceding  years. 

The  following  is  a  statement  of  the  trade  between  the  U.  S. 
and  Mexico,  for  the  year  ending  June  30^,  1858. 

Exports  of  Domestic  Products  from  the  U.  S.  to  Mexico. 
In  American  Vessels $2,005,450 

In  Foreign  Vessels 780,402 

$2,785,852 

Exports  of  Foreign  Products,  U.  S.  to  Mexico. 

In  American  Vessels 358,702 

In  Foreign  Vessels 171,271 

529,973 


Total  Exports  U.  S.  to  Mexico $3,315,825 


30 

Imports  from  Mexico  into  the  "United  States. 

In  American  Vessels  .     .    ".    '.     .     .     $4,112,5^5 
In  Foreign  Vessels %|       1,364880 

Total  Imports  from  Mexico  into  U.  S.  .     .     .     $5  477,465 

Total  trade  between  Mexico  and  the  U.  S.  for  the  year 

ending  June  30th,  1858 $8,793,290 

Of  above  imports  the  amount,  free  of  duty,  was    .     .    $4,615,858 
•«"•••  "         paying  duties,  "    .     .  861,607 

Total  Imports .    $5,477,465 

$3,163  of  above  Imports  was  in  Gold  Bullion 
30,107  "  "  "      Silver  Bullion 

23,266  "  "  "      Gold  Coin 

4,312,428  "  "  "      Silver  Coin 


$4,368,964     .     .     Total  amount  in  Gold  and  Silver. 

The  increased  shipments  of  silver  from  Mexico  to  the 
United  States  during  the  last  two  years,  as  shown  by  the 
preceding  statements,  indicate  the  commencement  of  an 
entire  revolution  in  the  destination  of  the  precious  met 
als  exported  from  that  country.  Hitherto,  the  destina 
tion  has  been  almost  exclusively  to  England,  and  the 
annual  shipments  thither,  legally  and  illegally  made, 
have  amounted  to  over  $20,000,000. 

But  from  this  time  forward,  the  tendency  of  this  rich 
and  important  current  must  be  more  and  more  to  the 
United  States,  until,  with  the  increased  production  which 
a  few  years  of  tranquillity  in  Mexico  will  secure,  and 
more  intimate  relations,  our  annual  receipts  from  that 
country,  of  silver,  will  equal,  if  not  surpass,  the  amount 
we  now  receive  from  California  in  Gold. 


31 


Statements  of  vessels  cleared  from  the  United  States  for 
Mexico,  during  the  year  ending  June  30th,  1857. 


PORT  OF  DEPARTURE. 

AMERICAN. 

FOREIGN. 

TOTAL. 

"1 

il 

Ton 
nage. 

Crews. 

*! 

4 

Ton 
nage. 

I 

If 

Ton 
nage. 

1 
o 

Now  York  

28 
1 
1 
11 
1 
3 
1 
87 
1 
28 
1 

6449 
228 
110 
1483 
130 
364 
233 
19180 
170 
69(56 
98 

264 
9 

15 
75 
4 
26 

8 
924 

7 
272 
8 

6 

1396 

65 

34 
1 
1 

11 
1 
3 

1 
138 
1 
66 
1 
1 
1 
9fin 

7845 
228 
110 
1483 
130 
364 
233 
24337 
170 
14947 
98 
30 
120 

329 
9 
15 
75 
4 
26 
8 
1350 
7 
680 
8 
5 
8 
2524 

]  )elaware  

Baltimore   

Mobile  

Pensacola  

Key  West  

St.  Johns  

New  Orleans 

51 

5157 

426 

Salioria  

San  Francisco  

38 

7981 

408 

Monterey  

San  Diefo  

1 

30 

5 

San  Pedro  

1 

120 

8 

Total..         .... 

164 

35531 

1620 

~96 

14564 

904 

50095 

Statement  of  vessels  entered  the  United  States  from  Mexico, 
during  the  year  ending  June  30th,  1857. 


PORT  OF  ENTRY. 

AMERICAN1. 

FOREIGN. 

TOTAL. 

O    ** 

&> 

Ton 
nage. 

i 

0 

«M    03 
0*3 

*J 

Ton 
nage. 

1 

*| 
4 

Ton 
nage. 

0 

Boston  

1 
1 
30 
1 
2 
1 
5 
o 

5 
63 
1 

22 

177 
71 
7207 
112 
280 
210 
536 
407 
786 
14379 
131 
2967 

7 

6 
293 
7 
13 
8 
33 
14 
34 
728 
7 
197 

1 
1 
33 
2 
2 
2 
5 
2 
5 
111 
1 
48 
1 
1 

177 
71 
7667 
299 
280 
489 
536 
407 
786 
19659 
131 
7166 
120 
30 

7 
6 
319 
11 
13 
20 
33 
14 
34 
1171 
7 
446 
8 
5 

2094 

Providence  

New  York     

3 
1 

460 

187 

26 
4 

Bait  iinore 

Norfolk  

Charleston 

1 

279 

12 

Mobile  

Pensacola     

Key  West  

New  Orleans 

48 

5280 

443 

Ttch*  

San  Francisco 

26 
1 
1 
81 

4199 
120 
30 

249 
8 
0 

San  Pedro  

San  Diego  

Total.. 

~T34 

27263  1347 

10555 

747; 

215,   37818 

Statement  of  Foreign  vessels  entered  United  States  J row, 
and  cleared  to  Mexico,  during  the  year  ending  June  30th, 
1857. 


NATIONALITY. 

ENTERED. 

CLEARED. 

Ko.  of 

Vessels. 

Tonnage. 

CO 

* 
£ 

0 

c-f; 

w 

Tonnage. 

1 

Mexican 

66 
1 
2 

7839 
40 
347 

609 
6 
15 

72 
4 
4 
3 
3 
1 
3 

8015 
850 
1753 
1124 
1107 
106 
654 

618 
46 
71 
46 
37 
7 
30 

British 

French 

Danish              .                                               .  .  .  .    . 

Hambur'* 

Sardinian 

2 
1 
3 
1 

1 
2 

436 
160 

787 
140 
293 
239 

21 

8 
38 
7 
10 
16 

Belgian 

Spanish 

Prussian  

Chilian 

i 

Peruvian  

1 
1 

2 

1 
1 

107i       7 
141        7 
274      14 
120        9 
313      12 

Hanoverian 

New  Granadian   

2 

274 

17 

Sicilian 

Bremen  

Total.. 

81 

10.555 

~747 

'     96 

14.564 

904 

Goods  free  of  duties  under  the  Tariff  now  in  force,  which  is 
that  of  January  31,  1856. 

Animals  of  all  kinds,  except  horses  castrated. 

Coal,  mineral. 

Charcoal,  animal  and  vegetable. 

Coaches  and  cars  for  railroads. 

Collections  of  minerals. 

Coins   ancient  or  modern. 

Curious  objects  of  natural  history. 

Draughts  and  models  of  machinery  and  houses. 

Earths,  stone  and  bricks. 

Firewood. 

Guano. 


33 


Houses  of  wood  and  iron. 

Letters  for  printing. 

Maps,  marine  and  topographical  charts. 

Marble,  unwrought  and  for  flooring. 

Machinery  for   agriculture,    the   sciences,   industry,   mining  and 

the  arts. 
Plows. 

Printing  ink,  and  rags  for  making  paper. 
Plants,  exotics. 

Printed  books,  not  bound  or  in  paper  covers. 
Quicksilver. 
Railroad  iron. 

Steam-engines  or  locomotives. 
Silver  and  gold  of  every  description. 
Slates  for  roofing. 
Timber  for  construction. 
Vessels  of  all  kinds  and  classes. 
Whale-oil  taken  in  the  Pacific. 

The  average  rate  of  duties  under  the  present  Tariff  of 
Mexico  is  about  30  per  cent. 


Rates  of  duties  under  the  Mexican  Tariff  of  1856. 


Denomination  of  Merchandise. 

Almonds,  sweet  and  Bitter 

"        in  the  shell     .... 

Apples,  bitter     ...... 

Arrack,  in  bottles  or  casks,  for  which  bottles 

and  casks  a  separate  duty  is  to  be  paid    . 
Artificial  flowers 
Beer,  Ale,  Porter  and  cider  in  bottles  . 

"       "        "  "      in  casks 

Biscuit,  or  ship-bread 
Books,  printed 
Boots  and  shoes  of  India-Rubber 

"  "      of  Leather    . 

Bottles  of  glass,  common    . 

"  "       smaller 

Brass  in  sheets 
Bricks,  common 

44        glazed    .... 


No.,  weight  or  measure. 

Rate  of  duty. 

perquin.  101  Ibs.Eng. 

$4,00 

"             " 

2,00 

«             « 

1,00 

« 

12,00 

libra,  1  14-1000  Ibs. 

60c. 

101 

4,00 

" 

2,00 

u 

2,40 

u 

2,00 

(I 

9,00 

dozen 

prohibited 
45c. 

'« 

30c. 

101  Ibs. 

6,00 

1,000 

1,00 

u 

3,00 

34 


Denomination  of  Merchandise. 

Broadcloth  .  .  ... 

Bru&hes  .  .  .  »   , 

Butter,  gross  weight  .  . 

Buttons,  metal,  horn,  whalebona,  common, 
Buttons,  fine,  silvered  and  gilt 
Cables  and  cordage 

Camphor,  refined     .  .  • 

Candles,  stearine  .  .  . 

"         spermaceti 
Cassia     . 

Cards,  playing          .... 
Cheese  of  all  kinds,  gross  weight 
Cinnamon 

Clocks     

Clothing,  ready  made,  all  kinds 
Cloves  .... 

Coaches  and  other  carriages 

"         omnibuses 
Coals 
Cocoa  from  Guayaquil,  Para  and  islands 

"       from  all  other  places     . 
Coffee  ..... 

Combs      ..... 
Copper,  in  sheets     .... 

Cork 

Cotton,  raw,  fiee  of  internal  duties     . 

"  bleached  and  unbleached  cloths,  rib 
bed  and  plain,  not  exceeding  30 
threads  weft  and  warp  on  the  quar 
ter  inch,  at  and  under  one  vara  wide, 

•'  the  same,  exceeding  30  threads 
weft  and  warp  on  the  quarter  inch, 
at  and  under  one  vara  wide 

"         Stockings   of  all  kinds  for  grown 
persons.      ..... 

"         Stockings  for  children 

"         Handkerchiefs       .... 

"         Laces  of  all  kinds 
Cutlery         . 

Demijohns  .... 

Earthen  and  stone-ware  all  kinds 
Porcelain  of  all  kinds     .... 
Figs  .  .  .         . 

Fire-arms,  guns  and  rifles 

Fish 

Flour,  wheat 


Gin  in  bottles  and  casks,  which  latter  pay 
separate  duties     .... 

Glass,  wares  of  all  kinds,  without  allowance 

for  breakage. 
"      window,  without  allowance  for  breakage 


No,  weight  or  measure. 

Rate  of  Duty. 

square,  vara  or  yard 

50c 

101  Ibs. 

6,00  to  18,00 

« 

4,80 

" 

6,00 

" 

18,00 

« 

2,40 

ad  valorem 

40  per  cent. 

101  Ibs. 

4,00 

« 

12,00 

1  14-1000  Ibs. 

50c. 

" 

prohibited 

101  Ibs. 

3,00 

1  14-1000  Ibs. 

50c. 

101  Ibs. 

6,00  to  18,00 

ad  valorem 

60  per  cent. 

1  14-1000 

30c. 

Each 

15.00  to  180,00 

80,00 

free 

101  Ibs. 

2,40 

it 

5,00 

prohibited 

a 

1,80  to  24,00 

ad  valorem 

40  per  cent. 

101  Ibs. 

1,20 

(i 

1,50 

per  vara  (yard) 

8  cents 

per  vara 

5  cents 

per  dozen 

45  cents 

M 

30     " 

each 

4  to  5  cents 

i  14-1000  Ibs. 

1,20 

101  Ibs. 

9,00 

dozen 

60c. 

101    bs. 

3,00 

ii 

3,00 

« 

1,00 

« 

12,00  to  18,00 

" 

2,00  to  3,00 

prohibited  ex 

cept    for    Yuca 

tan,  Tampico, 
Matamoras  and 

the  Northern 

Frontier  Custom 

Houses. 

101  Ibs. 

$10,00 

<( 

3,60 

5,00 

35 


Denomination  of  Merchandise. 

No.  weight  or  measure. 

Rate  of  Duty. 

Gold  leaf  or  tinsel 

101  Ibs. 

9,00 

Gunpowder,  except  for  sporting      .             »    . 

1  14-1000  Ibs. 

50c. 

Ham*  and  Sausages     . 

101 

5,00 

Hats,  gents'  of  all  kinds      .             .             ',    , 

each 

2,00 

Household  furniture     . 

ad  valorem 

25  per  cent 

Ice  .              .             .     .         ,          ...    . 

101  Ibs. 

3c. 

Iron  in  sheets                 .             .             .  -. 

n 

2,00  to  2,50 

Lard,  see  flour          .           :»"   • 

Lead,  crude  and  in  shot 

ad  valorem 

20  per  cent. 

Linen,  carpeting      . 

vara 

5c. 

sheetings          . 

41 

3*c. 

tapes        .     . 

1  14-1000  Ibs. 

40c. 

gloves  and  stockings    . 

doz. 

45c. 

thread             .                            . 

1  14-1000  Ibs. 

45c. 

bleached  and  unbleached  plain  cloths 

vara 

5c.  to  7c. 

handkerchiefs          .... 

doz. 

50c.  to  2,00 

Liquors  of  all  kinds        .... 

101  Ibs. 

prohibited  unless 

specially  defined 

in  tariff,  stout  in 

hollies    .    $4,80 

Medicinal  drugs          ..... 

ad  valorem 

40  per  cent. 

Molasses     .              

H 

50  "       " 

Musical  instruments,  all  kinds,  except 

pianos  and  organs 

101  Ibs 

9,00 

Nutmegs    

ad  valorem 

40  per  cent. 

101  Ibs. 

12,00 

Paper,  all  kinds  writing  and  wrapping 

u 

8,00  lo  9,00 

"       hangings      .... 

«« 

3,00 

i< 

2,50 

Popper  of  all  kinds             .... 

<t 

4,80 

Pianos               .... 

ad  valorem 

30  per  cent. 

Plows  and  shares           ... 

free 

Pork,  salt,  hams,  &c.          .... 

101  Ibs. 

5,00 

Prunes  ami  Raisins         .... 

101 

1,00 

Rye  and  all  other  grain,  see  flour    . 

Rice         .             .             .              ... 

prohibiled 

Rum  in  bottles  and  casks,  bottles  and  casks 

pay  separate  duty 
Saltpetre,  crude  and  refined 

101  Ibs. 
ad  valorem 

12,00 
40  per  cent. 

Silk,  blonde  and  other  lace,  millings  of  all 

kinds         ....          . 

1  14-1000  Ibs. 

7,20 

<< 

1,20 

"     sewing      

H 

1,80 

"     other,  not  separalely  defined  . 

Soap,  fine           

101  Ibs. 

24,00 

Steel      

101 

1,25 

Tallow,  raw  and  refined     .... 

ad  valorem 

50  pt>r  cent. 

Teas,  all  kinds         

1  14-1000  Ibs. 

35c. 

Tin  in  plates       ...... 

ad  valorem 

20  per  cent. 

Tiles       

per  1,000 

75c. 

Tobacco  of  all  kinds  can  only  be  imporled 

on  demand  of  the  Governmenl,  as  it  is  a 

monopoly              .... 

Umbrellas,  cotton             .... 

each 

25C. 

"           silk            

« 

75c. 

Vinegar  in  barrels,  nel   weight 

101 

1,00 

Wax,  bleached  and  unbleached  . 

" 

13.25 

36 


Denomination  of  Merchandise. 

Wax,  virgin  .          .         .         . 

'•     manufactures  of         .         .         .         , 
Whalebone,  unmanufactured  .         . 

Wheat  and  all  other  grain,  see  flour     .     . 
Wood,  timber  for  buildings 
masts  and  spars 

boxes  of  ... 

staves  and  heading,  gross  weight  . 
fine,  in  veneers        .... 
for  building,  already  worked 

shingle? 

Wool,  raw,  net   weight 
'      carpeting,  all  kinds 
1      socks    ...... 

'       cassimeres,  twilled 

'      cloths,  white  and  colored  plain  cloths 

at  and  under  one  vara  wide 
Woolen  cloths  of  all   colors,  worked,   un- 
worked,  crossed,   striped  and   twilled   at 
and  under  one  vara  wide 


No.  weight  or  measure. 
101  Ibs. 


ad  valorem 

101 
1,000  square  feet 


101  Ibs. 

per  square  vara 

dozen 

vara 

per  vara 


per  vara 


Rate  of  Duty. 

12,00 

prohibited 

4,00 

free 

25  per  cent. 

30c. 
4,80 
free 
u 

2,40 

20c.  to  45c. 
48c. 
45c. 

50c. 


12c. 


The  articles  formerly  prohibited  are  now  permitted 
entry  at  Vera  Cruz,  at  sixteen  per  cent.  duty. 

Additional  Duties  on  Merchandise. 

All  foreign  goods  imported  into  the  Mexican  Republic 
are  liable  to  the  following  additional  fixed  duties,  besides 
the  import  duty,  regulated  by  the  tariff,  viz.: 

1.  A  municipal  duty  of  12  £  cents  for  every  package 
weighing  200  pounds,  payable   to  the   custom-house  at 
the  port  of  discharge. 

2.  An  internal  improvement  duty  of  one-fifth,  of  the 
foreign  or  import  duty,  also  payable  at  the  port  of  dis 
charge. 

3.  An  internal  duty  of  one-tenth  the  amount  of  the 
foreign  duty,  payable   at  the  time   of  dispatching  the 
goods  into  the  interior. 

4.  A  registering  duty  of  one-fifth  of  the  foreign  duty, 
payable  at  the  interior  custom-house  to  which  the  goods 
are  destined. 


37 


5.  Sinking-fund  duty  of  one-fourth  of  the  foreign  duty, 
payable  at  the  Treasury,  in  bonds  of  the  public  con 
solidated  and  liquidated  debt. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  above  additional  duties  on 
foreign  goods  imported  and  remitted  to  the  interior, 
amount  to  about  75  per  cent,  on  the  original  import  duty 
designated  by  the  tariff.  The  exportation  of  gold  and 
silver  in  bars  sheets,  or  dust,  is  strictly  prohibited,  as 
also  gold  and  silver  ores.  The  following  can  be  exported 
on  payment  of  the  prefixed  duties  : 

Coined  or  worked  gold,  J  per  cent. 

Coined  silver  dollars,         .         .         .         .6         " 
Stamped  silver,  7         " 

Mexican  Custom- House  Regulations  for  Passengers. 

1.  Every  passenger  arriving  at  the  ports  of  the  Re 
public  shall  be  free  to  land  without  passport  or  letter  of 
security,  and  shall  be  at  liberty  to  take  ashore  a  small 
bundle  of  wearing  apparel. 

2.  As  soon  as  the  vessel  is  brought  to    anchor,  her 
captain  shall  form  a   list  of  his  passengers  and  their 
luggage,  with  which  the  collector,  or  other  custom-house 
officer,  shall  immediately  proceed  to  the  dispatch  of  the 
luggage. 

3  The  examination  shall  be  conducted  in  a  spirit  of 
liberality,  and  within  the  period  precisely  necessary  for 
its  due  performance.  There  shall  be  in  attendance  an 
official  speaking  the  languages,  who  shall  explain  to 
strangers  the  requisitions  and  formalities  of  this  ordi 
nance. 


38 

4.  Every  passenger  can  enter  free  of  duty  as  much  as 
ten  pounds  of  cigars  (puros),  or  cigarettes,  (cigarros), 
one  bottle  of  snuff,  two  bottles  of  wine,  or  liqueur,  two 
watches,  with  their  chains  and  seals,  one  pair  of  pistols, 
one  sword,  one  rifle,  musket,  or  carbine,   arid  pair  of 
musical  instruments,  excepting  pianos  or  organs. 

5.  Passengers    are  prohibited   the   introduction   with 
their  luggage,  of  goods,   by  the  piece,  jewelry,  gold  or 
silver  wrought,  unless  of  personal  wear,  or  of  any  other 
commercial  commodity,  specified  in  this  ordinance  ;  but 
should  they,  through  ignorance,  or  as  presents  to  their 
families  and  friends,  bring?  in  small  quantities,  any  of 
these  articles,  by  making,  before  the  commencement  of 
the  examination,  a  declaration  on  oath  of  the  fact,  the 
officer  of  customs  shall  appraise  the  articles  and  collect 
the  corresponding  duties. 

The  dispatch  of  private  apparel  and  jewelry  is  at  the 
discrimination  of  the  custom  house -officers,  with  due 
regard  for  the  character  and  personality  of  the  travelers. 

6.  Operatic  or  comic  artists  shall  be  permitted,  besides 
the  exemptions   already  conceded  to  passengers,  to  in 
troduce  free  of  duty  their  scenic  costumes  and  ornaments, 
provided  the  same  make  a  part  of  their  luggage,  and  be 
not  in  excess.     Should  the  officers  consider  the  amount 
excessive,  they  shall  collect  thirty  per  cent,  ad  valorem, 
or  by  appraisement,  to  be  practiced  in  the  manner  pre 
scribed  for  goods  entered  under  appraisement. 

7.  The  supreme  government  will  ordain  what  is  con 
venient  as  regards  the  privileges  and  exemptions  to  be 
extended  to  colonists  and  immigrants 


39 


PORT  CHARGES,  &c. 

ART.  III.  of  the  General  Ordinance  of  Maritime  and 
Frontier  Custom-houses  of  the  Mexican  Republic,  of 
January  31,  1856. 

DUTIES  AND    EXEMPTIONS    ON    NATIONAL    AND    FOREIGN  VESSELS. 

Foreign  vessels,  conveying  merchandise,  passengers, 
and  correspondence  to  the  ports  of  the  Republic,  shall 
pay  the  following  dues ;  and  no  authority,  either  the 
general,  or  the  local,  or  municipal,  of  the  ports,  shall 
have  power  to  impose  any  other : 

1.  For  every  ton  of  measurement  (tonnage  of  burgos).  $1  00 
For  pilot  and  anchorage  dues,         .             .             .  25  00 
For  light-house  dues  on  entrance  and  departure,           .  25  00 
For  pilot  and  anchorage  dues  in  ports  authorized  for 

coasting  trade 12  00 

2.  All  steamers,  though  freighted  with  merchandise,  are, 

without  regard  to  their  nationality,  exempt  from  ton 
nage  dues,  but  shall  pay,  for  pilot  and  anchorage 
dues, 30  00 

For  pilot  and  anchorage  dues,  in  ports  open  to  coasting 

trade, 20  00 

For  light-house  dues  on  entrance,  when  conveying  mer 
chandise,  100  00 

For  light-house  dues  on  departure,  after  discharging 

merchandise, 100  00 

3.  Foreign   and   national   sailing  vessels,  freighted  with 
coal  for  the  depots   established  in  the  ports  of  the  Re 
public,  by  permission  of  Government,  are  exempted  from 
the  payment  of  tonnage  dues,  and  shall  be  required  to 
pay  alone  the   pilot,   anchorage,  and  light-house  du-es, 
already  mentioned. 


40 

4.  In  the  event   of  their   bringing  coal  and  merchandise, 
they   shall  pay,   also,  for  every  ton  which  they  shall 
measure,  (tonnage  of  burgos,)     .         .         .         .         .     $1  CO 

5.  Foreign  vessels  visiting  one  or  more  ports  of  the  Re 
public,  to  freight  with  logwood  or  other  national  pro 
ducts,  shall  be   exempt   from  light-house  and  tonnage 
dues,  on  proof  of  the  payment  of  the  same  in  the  port 
where  they  discharged  cargo,  subject,  nevertheless,  to 
the  pilot  and  anchorage  dues  already  set  forth. 

6.  National  vessels,  freighted  with  foreign  or  national  pro 
ducts  and   effects,  from   one  or  more  ports  of  the  Re 
public,  shall   be    exempt  from  the   charge   of  tonnage 
dues,  paying  alone  as  follows  : 

For  light-house  dues  on  entrance  .         .         .         .     $3  00 

For  light-house  dues  on  departure       ....  3  00 

For  pilot  and  anchorage  dues,  when  not  exceeding  one 

hundred  and  fifty  tons 1000 

When  exceeding  one  hundred  and  fifty  tons        .         .         25  00 
In  the  ports   opened  to  the   coasting  trade  they  shall  pay 
but  the  half  of  these  charges. 

7.  After  payment  of  the  dues  expressed  in  this  article,  at 
the  proper  maritime  custom-house,  no  compensation  or 
impost  of  any  kind  shall  be  collected  from  the  captains 
of  national  or  foreign  vessels,  either  by  the  sailors  or 
the  captains  of  the  port,  the  health  officer,  or  custom 
house  guards  or  clerks. 

3.  National  and  foreign  vessels  of  war  are  excepted  from 
the  payment  of  tonnage,  pilot,  anchorage  and  light 
house  dues,  as  are  also  mail  packets,  to  which  Govern 
ment  might  have  previously  conceded  more  ample  priv 
ileges  or  exemptions  than  those  expressed  in  this  gen 
eral  ordinance,  which  privileges  shall  be  unimpaired 
during  the  full  term  for  which  they  have  been  granted. 

9.  All  foreign  vessels,  coming1  with  the  sole  object  of 
taking  or  convey  ing  passengers,  correspondence,  metals, 


41 

treasure  or  logwood,  can  enter  into  all  the  ports  of  the 
Republic  opened  to  the  coasting  or  foreign  trade,  with 
out  paying  tonnage  dues. 

10.  Whaling  ships  and  others  off  on  long  voyages, 
destined  for  foreign  ports,  can  enter  freely  those  of  the 
Republic  with  the  object  of  wintering,  taking  in  water 
or  provisions,  or  of  repairing  damages,  without  incurr 
ing  the  exaction  of  tonnage  or  other  dues. 


WEIGHTS    AND    MEASURES. 

Mexican  Coins. 


1  onza  .... 
1  peso    .  .  . 
1  real    .... 
1  medio  real, 
1  quartillo  »  . 
1  tlaco  .  .  . 

gold     = 
silver  = 
silver  =. 
silver  — 
copper= 
copper^ 

16  dollars, 
1  dollar, 
12J  cents, 
6i  cents, 
3£  cents, 
1TV  cents. 

Measures 

1  foot  ........     =  0,928,  English, 

1  vara  (3  feet,  Mexican,)  .        =  2,784  feet,  English, 

1  legua  (2,663  to  1  meridian,)  =  5,000  varas  =   2,636  miles, 
English. 

Weights. 

1  onza     ...  (8  ochavos)  =     1  ounce, 

1  marco     .     .  (8  onzas)  =     J  pound, 

1  libra      ...  (2  marcos)  =     1  pound, 

1  arroba     .     ,  (25  libras)  =  25  pounds, 

1  quintal       .     .  (4  arrobas)  =100  pounds, 

1  carga      .     .  (3  quintales)  —300  pounds, 

1  fanega  .     .     .  (140  libras)  =2  bushels  nearly, 
6 


Land  Measures. 


Names  of  Measures. 

Figures 
of 
Measures. 

Length 
of  the 
Figure 
in  varas 

Breadth 
in 
varas. 

Areas 
in 
square 
varas. 

Sitio  de  Ganado  mayor      .     .     . 
Criadero  de  Ganado  mayor  .     . 

square 
square 
square 

5.000 
2,600 
3,333| 
l,666f 

1,104 
552 

552 

376 

50 
1,200 

5,000 
2,500 
3,333^ 
1.666f 

652 
552 
276 

184 

60 

1,200 

25.000.000 
6.250^000 
11,111,111  1-9 
2,777,777  7-9 

609,408 
304,704 
152.352 

56,784 

2,500 
1  440,000 

Criadero  de  Ganado  menor    .     . 

.     :        square 
right-angled 

Media  caballeria 

parallelogram 
sauare 

Cuartu  caballeria  or  suerte  de  tierra,  p"ran"e*o|ram 
FanegadeSembradurademaiz    .     ^^ 

Fondo  legal  para  pueblos     .     . 

.     1        square 

The  Mexican  vara  is  the  unit  of  all  measures  of  length. 

PORTS    OF    ENTRY    FOR    FOREIGN    COMMERCE. 

In  the  Guff  of  Mexico. 

Vera  Cruz.  Tampico,    Matamoras,    Sisal,  Campeche, 
Tabasco,  Isla  del  Carmen  (Laguna),  Coatzacoalcos. 

In  the  Pacific  Ocean  and  Gulf  of  California. 

La  Ventosa,  Acapulco,  Manzanillo,  San  Bias,   Maza- 
t]an,  Guaymas. 

CUSTOM-HOUSES    ON    THE    FRONTIER. 

On  the  Northern  Frontier. 

Matamoras,  Camargo,  Mier,  Piedras  Negras,  Monterey, 
or  Laredo,  Presidio  del  Norte,  Paso  del  Norte. 

On  the  Southern  Frontier. 
Tonala,  Zapaluta. 

PORTS    OPEN    TO    THE    COASTING-TRADE. 

In  the   Gulf  of  Mexico. 
Alvarado,  Tecolutla,  Tuxpan,  Santacomapan. 


43 

In  the  Pacific  Ocean  and  Gulf  of  California. 

La  Escondida,  Sihuantanejo,  Altata,  Navachiste,  La 
Paz,  Cape  San  Lucas. 

THE    MERCANTILE    MARINE 

Was  composed  in  1856  of  79  vessels,  not  including 
the  boats  and  lighters  employed  in  the  ports  of  foreign 
entry,  nor  those  employed  on  the  rivers,  nor  coasting 
vessels  engaged  in  carrying  merchandise  between  various 
points  on  the  coast. 

Forty-seven  were  registered  in  the  department  of  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  32  in  that  of  the  Pacific. 

The  character  and  tonnage  of  these  vessels  are  as  fol 
lows  : 

Steamers,          .         .         .  1.  Tonnage,     179 

Barks,           .         .         .  .2.  f;            484 

Brigs,       ....  18.  2,161 

Schooners,    ...  55.  "         3,042 

Sloops,               ...  3.  85 

Total,         .79.  ,    6,551 

In  addition  to  this,  there  has  lately  been  established 
in  the  port  of  Tampico,  a  small  steamer  of  190  tons  to 
be  used  as  a  tug  boat  and  to  assist  in  the  discharge  of 
vessels. 

The  Naval  Force  of  Mexico  is  as  follows  : 

In  the  department  of  the  Gulf,         4  steamers  of  1  o  guns 
"  "  5  schooners  of  17     " 

"  "  2  transports 

33     " 

In  the  department  of  the  Pacific,     2  barks      of    4  guns, 
"  "  2  schooners  of  3     " 

_r_  " 

Total,  15  vessels         40  guns. 


44 


DOMESTIC    OR    INTERIOR    TRADE. 

His  excellency  Don  Miguel  Lerdo  de  Tejada,  in  his 
work  entitled  "  Cuadro  Sinoptico,"  of  the  Mexican  Re 
public  in  1856,  reviews  the  domestic  trade  of  Mexico  as 
follows :  "  Although  it  is  somewhat  difficult,  in  the 
absence  of  complete  data,  to  give  a  correct  statement  of 
the  interior  commerce  of  the  Republic,  or  of  the  value 
of  its  domestic  exchanges,  it  is  nevertheless  easy,  by 
calculation,  to  arrive  at  an  approximate  result,  taking  as 
a  basis  the  produce  of  its  agriculture,  of  its  industry,  of 
the  mines  and  cattle,  as  well  as  the  conveyances  of  real 
estate,  and,  finally,  the  amount  of  foreign  merchandise 
computed  according  to  its  value  in  the  interior  markets;  all 
of  which  cannot  be  estimated  at  less  than  $450,000,000 
per  annum,  and,  admitting  that  one-half  of  the  national 
products  are  not  articles  of  mercantile  speculation, 
on  account  of  their  passing  from  production  to  imme 
diate  consumption,  and  that  the  other  half  only  pass 
through  two  hands  ere  disappearing  from  circulation,  it 
is,  beyond  doubt,  apparent  that  the  interior  commerce  of 
the  Republic  proceeding  as  above  stated,  amounts,  at  the 
present  date,  annually,  to  more  than  $400,000,000.  As 
a  proof  of  there  being  no  exaggeration  in  the  above  es 
timate,  it  will  suffice  to  say,  that,  according  to  the  mercan 
tile  statistics  published  by  the  Board  of  Trade  in  Mexico, 
Puebla,  Queretaro,  Guanajuato,  San  Luis  Potosi  and  Gua 
dalajara,  from  the  years  1842  to  1840,  inclusive,  the  value 
of  domestic  and  foreign  goods,  including  specie  legally 
introduced  in  those  six  departments  above,  based  upon 
the  custom-house  valuation,  which  is  generally  less  than 
real  value,  amounted,  annually,  to  more  than  $40,000,000. 


45 

The  medium  of  exchanges  by  drafts,  although  not 
generally  understood  or  adopted  throughout  the  Repub 
lic,  being  in  operation  only  between  the  capital  and  such 
points  as  are  open  to  foreign  commerce  and  the  principal 
cities,  amounts,  according  to  reliable  data,  to  thirty  or 
forty  million  dollars  per  annum. 

The  banking  and  discount  business  for  loaning  money 
at  interest  on  mortgage,  or  other  good  securities,  as  well 
as  for  discounting  bills  and  notes  at  short  dates,  is  also 
of  some  importance  ;  as, over  and  above  the  large  amount 
of  funds  belonging  to  the  clergy  and  other  religious' 
bodies,  (which  have,  in  reality,  for  many  years  past, 
formed  a  great  national  bank,  their  real  estate,  repre 
senting  as  it  does,  from  eighty  to  one  hundred  million 
dollars,  gaming  interest,)  this  class  of  business,  which 
more  than  any  other  affords  to  those  who  exercise  it  the 
advantage  of  appropriating  to  themselves  the  produce  of 
industry  and  the  labor  of  others  by  the  agency  of  their 
capital,  has  become  quite  general  in  all  the  departments 
enjoying  any  kind  of  industry  and  commercial  activity. 
The  total  value  of  operations  effected  in  the  city  of 
Mexico  alone,  amounts  annually  to  between  eight  and 
ten  million  dollars,  and  that  done  in  the  other  parts  and 
cities  of  the  Republic  to  an  equal  sum." 


MEANS    OF    INTERNAL    TRANSPORTATION. 

The  conveyance  of  all  kinds  of  merchandise  through 
out  the  Republic  of  Mexico  is  effected  by  pack- mules, 
and  wagons  drawn  by  mules  and  oxen.  With  this  sys 
tem  and  the  bad  state  of  the  roads  generally,  it  will  be 


46 

easily  understood  that  transportation  is  not  only  slow 
hut  costly,  and  one  of  the  chief  obstacles  in  the  way  of 
the  development  of  the  great  resources  of  the  country. 
The  average  distance  performed  by  mules  and  wagons 
is  from  fifteen  to  eighteen  miles  per  day,  with  the  excep 
tion,  however,  of  an  enterprise  recently  established, 
which  runs  a  line  of  wagons  from  Vera  Cruz  to  Quere- 
taro,  and  vice  versa,  passing  through  the  city  of  Mexico, 
averaging  during  the  dry  season  from  36  to  45  miles  per 
day,  thus  performing  the  journey,  (390  mi!es,)  in  11  days. 

The  cost  of  transporting  merchandise  varies  much 
from  one  place  to  another,  according  to  the  price  of  wages 
and  pasture,  always  rising,  however,  during  the  rainy 
season.  As  a  general  thing,  freights  on  the  most 
frequented  roads  do  not  exceed  two  cents  per  arroba  of 
25  Ibs  per  Mexican  league. 

Personal  traveling  is  generally  performed  on  horse  or 
mule  back,  which  is  not  only  the  most  economical,  but  in 
many  cases  the  only  possible  way,  owing  to  the  narrow 
and  precipitous  roads  between  many  towns.  On  the 
high  roads,  traveling  and  transportation  are  performed  by 
conveyances  of  various  kinds  drawn  by  horses  and 
mules.  In  some  parts  of  the  tropics,  as,  for  instance, 
between  Jalapa  and  Vera  Cruz,  litters  supported  by 
mules  or  men  are  used.  For  the  general  conveyance  of 
passengers,  besides  private  carriages,  there  exists  a  line 
of  diligences  which  perform  round  trips  from  Mexico  to 
Vera  Cruz,  to  San  Bias  on  the  Pacific,  and  to  other 
points  of  the  interior,  in  the  following  order :  to  Puebla 
every  day ;  to  Orizava  and  Vera  Cruz,  Pachuca  and 
Toluca,  during  six  days  of  the  week  ;  to  San  Bias. 


47 

Morelia,  Cuernavaca,  Cautla,  Tulancingo  three  times  a 
week;  and  from  Guanajuato  to  Leon  three  times  a  week. 
Besides  the  above  principal  line  of  diligences,  there  are 
others  performing  service  between  the  following  places : 
from  Puebla  to  Vera  Cruz,  by  Perote  and  Jalapa ;  from 
Mexico  to  Ameca  and  Ixmiquilpan  ;  from  Guadalajara  to 
Zapotlan  ;  from  Lagos  to  Zacatecas,  by  Asruascalientes ; 
from  Puebla  to  Matamoras,  Izucar;  and  from  Sisal  to 
Merida,  three  times  a  week.  The  fare  by  the  diligences 
is  not  the  same  on  all  roads,  but  as  a  general  rule,  the 
rate  varies  from  twenty  to  forty  cents  per  Mexican 
league. 

The  total  number  of  trips  performed  by  the  general 
line  of  diligences,  from  1851  to  1853,  inclusive,  and  of 
passengers  conveyed,  was : 

Years.  Trips.  No.  of  Passengers. 

1851  ....    17,316 46,452 

1852  ...       16,667        ....     43,813 

1853  ....    17  331 42,430 


Total  .     .     .  51,314     ....      132,695 

The  diligences  afford  great  advantages  to  travelers, 
not  only  on  account  of  their  repeated  journeys  and  quick 
ness,  averaging,  as  they  do,  from  nine  to  twelve  miles 
per  hour,  according  to  the  state  of  the  road,  but  for  their 
regularity  of  time.  By  means  of  this  "  general  line  of 
diligences,"  a  traveler  can  traverse  the  Republic  from 
one  sea  to  the  other — a  distance  of  91-2  miles,  from  the 
port  of  Vera  Cruz  to  that  of  San  Bias  on  the  Pacific, 
passing  through  the  principal  cities,  including  the  capi 
tal,  in  the  short  space  of  eleven  days.  Part  of  the  time 


48 

is  spent  in  resting  at  the  different  towns  on  the  road,  so 
that  in  reality  the  time  spent  in  traveling,  changing 
horses  and  feeding,  is  only  144  hours. 

Arrangements  are  in  contemplation  for  a  good 
carriage  road  from  the  city  of  Mexico  to  Acapulco. 
This  will  enable  passengers  landing  at  Vera  Cruz  to 
reach  Acapulco,  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and  vice  versa,  with 
safety  and  dispatch  ;  thus  affording  them  a  tour  through 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  picturesque  countries  in 
the  world,  and  accomplishing  the  route  to  California  in 
as  short  a  time  as  by  any  other  route,  viz.: 

From  New  Orleans  or  Mobile  to  Vera  Cruz  .     4  days. 

"     Vera  Cruz  to  Mexico         .         .         .  .  2     " 

"     Mexico  to  Acapulco       .         .         .  3     " 

"     Acapulco  to  San  Francisco        .         .  .  7     " 

Total       .         .16  days. 

When  the  several  railroads,  now  in  course  of  construc 
tion,  leading  to  New  Orleans  and  Mobile  are  completed, 
the  journey  from  New  York,  via  the  city  of  Mexico,  to 
San  Francisco  can  easily  be  accomplished  in  twenty-one 
or  twenty-two  days. 

AGRICULTURE. 

This  branch  of  industry  is  reviewed  by  Senor  Lerdo 
de  Tejada,  as  follows : 

The  agricultural  productions  of  Mexico  are  still  limited 
to  the  absolute  necessaries  for  the  consumption  of  its 
inhabitants,  and  the  extent  of  ground  under  tillage  is 
not  equal  to  more  than  one-eighth  of  the  whole  size  of 
the  Republic. 


49 

The  principal  productions  are  maize,  beans,  and  chile, 
(which  three  articles  in  general  constitute  the  only  food 
used  by  the  poorer  class,)  wheat,  barley,  rice,  potatoes, 
peas,  lentils,  American  aloe,  nopal,  sugar-cane,  cocoa, 
coffee,  cotton,  tobacco,  pepper,  anis,  vanilla,  sarsaparilla, 
olives,  and  all  kinds  of  fruits  and  horticultural  produc 
tions,  to  which  can  be  added  indigo,  cochineal,  wax, 
and  silk,  of  which  two  last  articles  large  quantities  are 
already  produced  in  the  States  of  Michoacan,  Jalisco, 
and  Guanajuato. 

As  regards  the  annual  value  of  the  agricultural  pro 
duce  of  Mexico,  the  statistics  are  so  limited  and  unsatis 
factory  that  it  is  quite  impossible  to  arrive  at  any  thing 
like  a  correct  estimate.  The  most  reliable  information 
which  we  possess  is  contained  in  an  account  presented 
in  the  year  1817,  by  Don  Jose  Maria  Quiroz,  at  that  time 
secretary  to  the  consulado  in  Vera  Cruz,  and  according  to 
whom,  the  total  value  of  agricultural  produce  in  New 
Spain  amounted  then  to  $138,850,121  annually,  includ 
ing  $4,997,496,  as  the  amount  of  produce  exported  ; 
which  sum,  when  compared  with  the  then  existing  popu 
lation  of  5,810,005,  gives  an  average  of  $24  per  head. 
This  estimate,  however,  cannot  serve  as  a  basis  to  ar 
rive  at  its  present  value,  considering  the  progress,  even 
though  slow,  which  has  been  made  since,  in  this  and  all 
other  branches  of  industry. 

For  want  of  better  data,  we  will  take  the  amount  of 
population,  and  calculating  the  quantity  of  agricultural 
produce  necessary  for  the  support  of  each  person  at  $25 
per  annum,  or  about  6i  cents  per  day,  the  result  is  a 
yearly  produce  equal  in  value  to  $197,000,000  ;  and  if  to 
7 


50 

this  be  added  the  produce  consumed  by  cattle,  the  pro 
duction  of  cotton,  which  amounts  annually  to  70,000 
quintals,  and  that  of  cochineal  to  625,000  Ibs.,  as  well  as 
of  silk  and  wax,  and  many  other  products,  it  will  be 
seen  that  the  territorial  value  of  produce  in  this  Repub 
lic,  cannot  be  estimated  totally  at  less  than  $220,000,000; 
and  if  to  this  be  added  $40.000,000,  as  the  value  of  re 
production  in  all  kinds  of  horses,  cattle,  and  poultry,  and 
of  their  natural  produce,  such  as  milk,  eggs,  tallow,  &,c., 
&c.,  all  of  which  is  considered  under  the  head  of  agri 
culture,  the  annual  value  of  this  branch  throughout  the 
whole  country  may  be  safely  estimated  at  $260,000,000. 

In  order  to  give  a  more  clear  idea  regarding  the  various 
agricultural  productions  of  the  country  they  are  pre 
sented  under  their  special  heads,  as  follows : 

Sugar-Cane-,  The  cultivation  of  sugar-cane,  as  much 
from  its  enormous  yield  as  from  its  good  quality,  is  of  the 
greatest  importance  in  the  Republic,  and  ought  to  be  one 
of  the  principal  articles  produced  for  exportation.  In 
Mexico,  Puebla,  Vera  Cruz,  Michoacan,  Tabasco,  Oajaca, 
Chiapas,  Yucatan,  Sonora,  and  Lower  California,  exist 
large  plantations.  In  the  first  six  States  mentioned 
above,  are  manufactured  yearly  40,000,000  pounds  of 
sugar  in  the  following  proportions  : 

Mexico,  .  .  25,000,000  Ibs. 

Puebla,     ....        4000,000 

Vera  Cruz,     .  .  .  2.500,000  * 

Michoacan,  .  .  .         5,000  000 

Tabasco,        .  .  .  2,000,000 

Oajaca,       .  .  .  1,500,000 


40,000,000 


51 

Coffee  has  been  produced  of  very  good  quality  in  the 
districts  of  Autlan  and  Tepic,  in  the  State  of  Jalisco  ; 
but  the  best  is  found  in  Cuernavaca,  Colima,  and  some 
parts  of  the  State  of  Vera  Cruz;  which  is,  as  before 
stated,  equal  in  quality  to  the  best  produced  in  any  part 
of  the  world. 

Tobacco  is  cultivated  with  success  in  many  parts  of 
the  Republic,  and  is  destined  to  become  an  article  of 
extensive  exportation,  particularly  that  produced  in  Ta 
basco,  called  "  Tabaco  de  Corral,"  and,  in  fact,  that  of 
many  other  districts  can  be  favorably  compared  with  the 
best  grown  in  Cuba. 

Indigo  is  found  wild  in  great  quantities  in  many  parts 
of  Oajaca,  Tabasco,  Yucatan,  Chiapas,  Michoacan,  and 
Colima.  That  produced  in  the  last -mentioned  place  is 
considered  to  be  of  a  superior  quality. 

Rice  is  cultivated  to  a  considerable  extent  in  Tier- 
Caliente,  in  damp  and  marshy  situations,  and  yields 
from  40  to  60  per  cent.  It  is  destined  to  become  one  of 
the  principal  objects  of  agricultural  industry,  as  the 
soil  and  climate  of  many  localities  are  peculiarly  adapted 
to  its  growth. 

Cocoa  of  excellent  quality  is  found  in  Tabasco  and 
Soconusco,  in  the  State  of  Chiapas,  and  other  places  in 
the  States  on  that  side  of  the  Gulf,  and  perhaps  yields 
the  best  in  the  world.  (See  Tabasco.) 

Flax  and  Hemp  are  successfully  cultivated  :  the  latter 
particularly,  in  the  southern  districts  of  Michoacan, 
where  it  grows  even  spontaneously.  The  product  is  very 
large,  and  the  fabrics  made  from  it  highly  approved 

Cotton.     Throughout   the  cotton -growing  districts  of 


52 

the  United  States  the  cotton  plant  is  of  annual  growth  ; 
frost  destroys  it,  and  the  planter  is  obliged  to  renew  the 
seed  for  every  crop.  But  in  the  Tierra  Caliente  of 
Mexico  this  is  not  requisite,  as  the  tree  propagates  itself, 
and  the  laborers  are  only  required  to  keep  the  fields  clear 
of  useless  vegetation.  The  production,  however,  is  very 
limited,  not  at  all  meeting  the  wants  of  the  factories  in 
the  Republic,  and  probably  does  not  exceed  in  the  ag 
gregate  over  25,000  bales  of  400  Ibs.  each  per  annum. 

Cochineal.  The  cultivation  of  this  article  has  always 
been  of  the  greatest  importance  in  the  State  of  Oajaca. 
The  crop  and  value  of  it  in  the  years  1854  and  1855  were 
in  that  State  alone  as  follows  : 

Cochineal  Zacatillo.  Grana    blanca.  Granilla.  Value. 

1854  150,525  Ibs.      632,625  Ibs.   2  450  Ibs.    $523,433 

1855  145.050  •'       500525  "    1,550  "      459,709 


Total,  295,575       1,133,150      4.000       $983,142 

Vanilla.  The  vanilla  bean  is  cultivated  on  a  few  plan 
tations  in  Oajaca,  and  also  grows  there,  as  in  many  other 
parts  of  the  coast,  spontaneously,  in  large  quantities. 
In  the  State  of  Vera  Cruz  it  is  extensively  cultivated,  and 
has  become  one  of  the  principal  articles  of  exportation, 
with  a  gradual  increase  of  shipments  annually. 

The  Grape.  Although  the  cultivation  of  the  vine 
would  be  a  most  important  branch  of  industry,  still  it  is 
at  present  limited  principally  to  the  town  of  Parras,  in 
the  State  of  Coahuila,  where  excellent  wine  has  been 
produced.  In  Chihuahua  and  Sonora,  however,  wine 
and  brandy  are  produced  from  the  grape,  and  in  Durango, 
Zacatecas  and  Jalisco,  a  liquor  called  "Mescal"  is  manu 
factured  to  a  large  extent. 


53 

Maize.  This  plant,  which  is  indigenous  to  America, 
is  cultivated  as  well  in  the  hot  regions  as  in  the  tem 
perate  and  cold.  It  has  a  very  large  consumption  in 
this  country,  both  for  human  food  and  for  fattening 
animals.  In  the  hot  regions  it  produces  from  250  to  300 
grains  for  each  one  planted,  and  in  a  district  near  the 
capital  as  many  as  600.  In  many  parts  of  the  country 
two  crops  are  gathered  annually,  and,  in  fact,  there  are 
frequent  instances  on  the  Gulf  coast  of  three  harvests 
on  the  same  ground  in  one  year. 

Frijol,  or  Black  Bean.  In  the  fields  of  wheat  and  maize 
is  sown  the  frijol,  or  black  bean,  which  is  most  exten 
sively  consumed  in  Mexico,  and  is  as  much  of  a  national 
dish  with  the  Mexicans  as  the  potato  is  with  the  Irish. 

Wheat  is  cultivated  on  all  the  central  table  lands.  The 
best  is  found  in  Atlisco,  in  the  State  of  Puebla,  and  in 
the  fertile  valleys  between  Queretaro  and  Guanajuato, 
called  the  Bajio,  where  it  yields  60  bushels  to  one  sown. 
In  some  parts  of  the  State  of  Sonora,  and  other  sections 
of  the  Republic,  the  yield  has  been  computed  by  reliable 
authorities  at  nearly  double  that  amount. 

Barley.  This  grain  is  also  extensively  cultivated  on  all 
the  central  table  lands  with  equally  abundant  harvests. 
There  is  a  very  great  consumption  of  it  throughout 
the  country,  as  it  is  one  of  the  principal  articles  of 
forage  used  by  the  muleteers  and  wagoners  for  the 
animals  of  the  immense  transportation  trains.. 

Trees.  Besides  almost  every  variety  of  fruit-trees  to 
be  found  in  other  parts  of  the  world,  Mexico  possesses 
an  inexhaustible  source  of  wealth  in  the  natural  pro 
ducts  of  her  forests,  which  furnish  abundantly  a  supply 


54 

of  the  several  woods  employed  in  ship-building  and 
other  mechanical  arts,  either  for  works  of  use  or  fancy. 
In  fine,  it  may  be  said  that  every  branch  of  agricul 
tural  industry  is  susceptible  of  augmentation  and  im 
provement,  and  if  a  proper  spirit  of  enterprise  could  once 
be  awakened  in  its  inhabitants,  Mexico  would  soon 
become  one  of  the  most  prosperous  and  flourishing  com 
mercial  countries  oil  the  American  continent,  affording 
to  her  sister  Republic  a  more  favorable  opportunity 
than  that  hitherto  enjoyed,  for  the  mutual  exchange 
of  the  numerous  articles  of  American  manufacture  for 
the  rich  products  of  Mexican  soil.  The  chief  evil 
that  now  exists,  is  the  constant  drain  of  specie, 
and  the  diversion  of  enormous  amounts  from  the 
natural  arteries  of  national  enterprise  into  European 
channels,  in  payment  of  imported  goods.  Let  the  Mexi 
can  people  learn  that  such  luxuries  and  necessaries  as 
they  desire,  can  be  purchased  with  other  equivalents 
besides  hard  silver  dollars  ;  and  that  in  commercial  ex 
change  with  the  United  States  they  cun  have  what  they 
desire  without  submitting  to  the  impoverishment  they 
yearly  undergo  by  dealing  outside  the  continent.  Let 
them  learn  this,  or  let  them  have  facilities  to  improve 
the  knowledge  of  it,  and  their  rich  gold  and  silver 
mines  will  be  converted  into  a  circulating  medium 
among  the  inhabitants  instead  of  finding  its  way  into  the 
vaults  of  European  speculators;  and  the  people  of  Mexico 
would  then  be  induced  to  turn  their  attention  to  impor 
tant  national  enterprises  that  would  result  in  the  future 
prosperity  and  agrandizement  of  the  whole  country. 


55 


MINES    AND    COINAGE    OF    MEXICO. 

The  great  wealth  of  Mexico,  according  to  develop 
ments  up  to  the  present  day,  consists  in  her  mines.  It 
is  true  that  the  capital  and  labor,  both  foreign  and  do 
mestic,  used  in  that  country,  have  been  devoted  to  the 
production  of  the  precious  metals,  and  though  under  a 
new  order  of  things,  agriculture  and  manufactures  will 
doubtless  receive  greater  attention,  still,  the  abundance 
of  minerals  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the 
land  is  so  great  that  its  mines  must  always  constitute 
the  leading  interest. 

The  minerals  of  Mexico  are  of  silver,  gold,  copper, 
iron,  zinc,  lead,  magistral,  antimony,  arsenic,  sulphur, 
cobalt,  &c.,  &c.  The  mines  of  gold  and  silver  have 
only  been  worked  extensively,  and  silver  forms  the 
principal  currency  of  the  country  and  the  great  article 
of  export. 

In  treating  upon  Mexico,  there  is  no  subject  so  unsat 
isfactory  and  bewildering  as  that  which  relates  to  the 
production  of  her  mines.  Humboldt,who  wrote  in  1803, 
gives  some  valuable  statistics  of  mining  operations  in 
Mexico  previous  to  that  period.  He  gives  the  total 
amount  of  silver  raised  from  the  Mexican  mines,  from  the 
conquest  in  1521  to  1803,  as  $1,767,952,000,  according 
to  the  official  returns,  and  adding  one-seventh  for  unregis 
tered  silver,  he  makes  the  grand  total  $2,027,952,000. 
Ward  gives  the  total  coinage  from  1733  to  1826  as  re 
presented  by  government  returns,  the  total  of  which  is 
$1,133,658611. 


56 

The  ancient  Mexicans,  properly  speaking,  had  no  coin. 
The  conquerors  introduced  it  into  the  colony,  and  coin 
ing  dates  from  the  building  of  a  mint  in  the  city  of 
Mexico,  in  1535.  For  many  years  after  the  invasion, 
pieces  of  gold  and  silver  were  stamped  by  officials  of  the 
Crown,  which  constituted  them  a  circulating  medium. 
The  coinage  of  money  in  Mexico  presents  two  great 
epochs;  first,  from  the  establishment  of  a  mint  in  the 
city  of  Mexico,  up  to  the  Independence ;  and  second, 
from  the  Independence  down  to  the  present  date.  The 
first  period  aifords  three  subdivisions,  viz. :  "  Moneda 
Macuqina,"  or  Irregular  coins  ;  "  Moneda  Colurnnaria,"  or 
Colonade  coin;  and  "Moneda  de  Busto,"  or  Bust  coin. 
The  first  was  so  called,  owing  to  its  irregular  form  and 
weight,  and  was  stamped  by  means  of  a  hammer,  with 
a  cross,  two  Lions  and  two  Columns  on  one  side ;  and 
on  the  reverse,  with  the  name  of  the  reigning  King.  The 
second  received  the  name  of  "  Colonade,"  from  present 
ing  on  one  side  the  Arms  of  Spain,  supported  by  the 
Columns  of  Hercules.  This  was  the  first  coin  struck 
in  the  mint  according  to  the  rules  of  art.  The  third  or 
"Bust  coin,"  is  that  with  which  we  are  acquainted, 
bearing  the  effigy  of  the  last  King  who  ruled  Mexico. 

The  following  statement  of  the  coinage  of  Mexico  from 
the  conquest  down  to  and  including  the  year  1856,  is 
from  official  data  furnished  by  the  Ministerio  de  Fomento. 


Amount  coined  in  each  of  the  different  mutts  of  Mexico, 
from  the  conquest  to  1856  inclusive. 


Mints. 

Silver. 

Gold. 

Copper. 

Total. 

$2,129,093,200 

$76,447,439 

$5,493,765 

$2,211,034,404 

Chihuahua 

10,593,397 

956,992 

50,428 

11,600,818 

Culiflcaii      ......... 

7,037,530 

2,604,410 

9,641,940 

Durango 

29,841,957 

2,831,916 

32,673,873 

Guadalajara       .   . 

25,056753 

651,317 

62,069 

25,770,140 

Cruadalupe  y  Calvo 

2,063,958 

2,311,104 

4.375,062 

Guanajuato 

122,635,825 

10,885,820 

133,521,645 

San  Luis  Potosi     ... 

37,302,201 

23,517 

37,325,718 

Sotnbrereto 

1,551,249 

1,551,249 

Tlalpan 

959,116 

203,544 

1,162,660 

Zaeatecas  ..  .    . 

167,980,493 

107,949 

168,088,442 

Total  

*2,534,  115,679 

$96,892,542 

$5,737,728 

$2,636,745,951 

The  yearly  coinage  of  the  mints  of  Mexico,  increased 
in  steady  progression  from  the  time  of  the  establishment 
of  the  first  mint  in  the  city  of  Mexico  in  1535  up  to  the 
year  1805,  when  the  highest  amount  was  reached,  being 
for  that  year  $27,000,000. 

The  total  Coinage  of  the  Mints  of  Mexico  since  the  War  of 
Independence  is  as  follows  : 

$13.162.567 
.  13.475.632 

13.800.266 
.  12.075.698 

13.671.280 
.  15.236.717 

15.414.453 
.  17.636.115 

19.203.688 
.  19.386.570 

19.389.336 
.  17.481.934 

18.190.514 
.  17.028.921 

17.249.946 
.  17.593.475 

19.205.656 


1822  . 

$9.816.525 

1840  . 

1823 

9.785.024 

1841 

1824  . 

9.560.472 

1842  . 

1825 

8.927.658 

1843 

1826  . 

.  8.177.471 

1844  . 

1827 

10.395.291 

1845 

1828  . 

10.237.448 

1846  . 

1829 

12.164.483 

1847 

1830  . 

11.608.871 

1848  . 

1831 

10.258.299 

1849 

1832  . 

12.216.460 

1850  \ 

1833 

12.642.876 

1851 

1834  . 

12.972.148 

1852  . 

1835 

11.815.687 

1853    » 

1836  . 

11.530.622 

1854  • 

1837 

11.470.509 

1855 

1838  . 

13.084.267 

1856  . 

1839 

12.525.085 

Total  since 

the  Independence  of  Mexico, 

8 

$478.392,014 


58 


The  following  is  the  coinage  of  the   different  mints  of 

Mexico  in  the  years  1855  and  1856. 

IN  1855. 


Mints. 

Gold. 

Silver. 

Total. 

Culiacan, 

$144,206 

$737,968 

$882,176 

Chihuahua, 

17,536 

475,500 

493  036 

Durango, 

73,64? 

609,171 

682.818 

Mexico, 

155,263 

4,013  359 

4,  1  68  622 

Guanajuato,    . 

555,200 

4,698,800 

5,254.000 

Guadalajara 

10,36S 

633,662 

644,030 

San  Luis  Potosi, 



1,849,795 

1,849,795 

Zacatecas, 



3,619,000 

3,619,000 

Aggregate,     . 

$956,222 

$16,637,255 

$17,593477 

IN   1856. 


Mints. 

Gold 

Silver. 

Total. 

Culiacan, 

$279  668 

$658  536 

$938,204 

Chihuahua, 

10,064 

400  000 

410,064 

Durango,          ... 

57,072 

533,652 

590,724 

Mexico, 

164,297 

4,401  793 

4,5b6,090 

Guanajuato,  . 

479,476 

4.306,524 

4  7s6,000 

Guadalajara, 

5236 

556,486 

561,722 

San  Luis  Potosi, 



3,676  000 

3,676,000 

Zacatecas, 



3,676,000 

3,676,000 

Aggregate,      . 

$995,813 

$18,208,991 

$19,204,804 

Coin  in  circulation.  —  The  ancient  tribunal  of  the 
consulate  in  1805,  estimated  the  amount  of  money  in 
circulation  in  New  Spain,  at  something  more  than 
seventy-eight  millions,  which,  being  compared  with  the 
population,  gave  an  average  of  fourteen  dollars  per  head. 
Taking  this  estimate  as  a  basis,  and  also  taking  into 
consideration  the  prosperity  of  mining  operations,  even 
since  that  date,  with  the  general  improvement  in  the 


59 

circumstances  of  a  class  who  were  formerly  in  misery, 
it  is  not  an  overestimate  to  say  that  the  amount  in  cir 
culation,  (1856-'57,)  notwithstanding  the  great  annual 
exportation,  exceeds  100,000,000  dollars. 

Although  this  sum  is  undoubtedly  sufficient  for  all  the 
interior  wants  of  Mexico,  considering  the  small  trade 
carried  on  in  agriculture,  manufactures,  and  commerce, 
the  fact  that  the  greater  portion  of  it  is  in  few  hands,  with 
the  want  of  confidence  and  absence  of  banks  of  issue, 
(whose  paper  in  other  countries  advantageously  supplies 
a  circulating  medium,)  makes  it  comparatively  useless, 
and  tends  to  show  that  there  is  not  a  sufficient  circulation 
for  the  wants  of  the  Republic. 

Legal  exportation  of  Specie  from  all  pats  of  the  Republic 
for  the  year  1856. 


Acapulco  .         .         $32,485 

Campeche  .               130,807 

Guaymas  .         .         118,626 

Matamoras  .         .     795  945 

Mazatlan  .         .       1,331  039 

Manzanillo  .         .     531,469 

San  Bias  .         .         845,287 

Sisal  10,320 


Tampico       .         .  $4,415523 

Tabasco     .         .  .      53,841 

Vera  Cruz     .         .  8,185,023 

Camargo  ,         .  .         7,000 
Mier     ....     6,362 

Piedras  Negras  .             114 

Paso  del  Norte      .  .     7,642 

Zapaluta            .  .         7,540 


Total  from  all  the  Republic,         .         .         $16,479,013 

From  the  conquest  of  Mexico,  in  1521,  to  the  year  of 
independence,  1821,  a  period  of  three  centuries,  during 
which  the  Spaniards  ruled  that  country,  the  business  of 
mining  was,  in  most  respects,  brought  to  such  perfection 
that  during  the  space  of  thirty-five  years,  in  which  it 
may  be  said  this  branch  of  labor  has  been  open  to  the 


60 

science  of  foreign  nations,  no  very  material  improve 
ment  has  been  effected  on  the  old  system,  except  in  the 
introduction  of  steam-engines  for  clearing  deep  mines  of 
water.  The  kings  of  Spain  held  the  mines  of  Mexico 
as  royal  property,  but  any  citizen  of  the  country  was  al 
lowed  to  work  them  by  paying  over  to  the  royal  treasury 
one-fifth  of  the  product  thereof.  The  government  of 
Mexico,  after  she  obtained  her  independence,  decreed 
the  mines  to  be  public  property,  but  placed  certain  limits 
on  the  miners,  and  required  a  small  percentage  on  their 
products  to  be  paid  into  the  national  treasury.  This  de 
mand  or  tax  is  now  relinquished,  and  any  citizen  or  for 
eigner  can,  by  the  right  of  discovery,  denounce  or  record 
the  same,  and  obtain  the  right  to  work  a  certain  number 
of  varas  free  of  all  tribute.  It  is  believed  that  the  laws 
of  the  mineria  of  Mexico  are  well  calculated  to  develop 
the  mines  and  favor  the  miner,  and  it  is  doubtful  whether 
any  material  improvement  can  be  made  on  the  present 
code. 

It  is  impossible  to  do  justice  to  a  subject  of  such  mag 
nitude  and  importance  as  is  that  of  the  mines  and  coin 
age  of  Mexico,  in  our  limited  publication.  We  have 
given  many  valuable  facts  drawn  from  the  most  reliable 
sources,  but  at  best  they  are  very  incomplete.  Statis 
tics  relating  to  this  subject  previous  to  the  revolution 
are,  doubtless,  more  complete  and  reliable  than  such  as 
we  have  since ;  yet,  those  that  come  to  us  from  the 
former  period  give  a  general  idea  only  of  the  vast  product 
of  silver  in  Mexico,  and  while  we  have  the  same  general 
means  of  judging  of  their  unfailing  richness  since  that 
epoch,  the  officialdata  are  much  less  reliable,  owing  to  the 


61 

revolutions  which  have  almost  constantly  prevailed,  the 
occasional  destruction  of  government  records,  but  more 
than  all  else,  the  general  system  of  smuggling  which 
has,  during  this  unhappy  state  of  affairs,  been  inaugur 
ated  through  the  frontiers  and  nearly  all  the  ports  in  the 
country. 

In  exemplification  of  this  latter  point,  we  will  enter 
into  an  examination  of  the  official  table  we  publish,  pur 
porting  to  give  the  total  specie  exports  of  the  Republic 
during  the  year  1856,  amounting  to  $16,479,013. 

In  this  table,  it  will  be  perceived  that  the  specie  ex 
port  of  Guaymas  is  stated  at  $118,626.  Any  one  ac 
quainted  with  the  trade  of  that  place,  and  the  manner  in 
which  business  is  transacted,  would  give  $2,000,000  as 
the  more  probable  amount  of  specie  exported  from  that 
port  in  1856.  The  same  with  Mazatlan,  the  specie  export 
of  which  port  in  1856,  is  given  as  $1,331,039.  We  have 
the  authority  of  Mr.  Conner,  the  American  Consul  now 
residing  at  that  port,  for  stating  that  nearly  this  amount 
was  exported  to  San  Francisco  alone,  which,  doubtless, 
formed  nearly  the  whole  amount  legally  exported,  while 
the  principal  amount,  counted  by  millions,  was  smuggled 
off  to  Europe  in  British  men-of-war.  So  it  is  with  San 
Bias  and  Acapulco,  and  in  fact,  to  a  greater  or  less  degree, 
with  all  the  ports  in  Mexico,  Vera  Cruz  and  Tampico, 
from  their  proximity  to  the  centre  of  power,  being  the 
only  ports  which  make  any  fair  show  of  their  specie  ex 
ports,  as  well  as  imports  of  merchandise.  This  system 
of  smuggling  is  well  exemplified  by  the  late  cruise  of 
the  English  sluop-of-war  Calypso,  as  related  in  the  NEW 
YORK  TIMES,  Oct.  29th,  1859. 


62 


ENGLISH    SMUGGLING    IN    MEXICO. 

fFROM   THE  NEW  YORK  TIMES.) 


"A  few  weeks  since,  the  report  came  from  Aspinwall 
that  one  and  a  half  million  of  dollars  in  Mexican  silver, 
brought  to  Panama  by  the  Calypsn,  had  been  forwarded 
to  England. 

The  Calypso  is  an  English  sloop-of-war  sent  out  to  the 
Mexican-Pacific  coast  to  protect  English  interests.  This 
vessel  has  been  mousing  along  that  coast  for  the  past 
six  months,  and  it  must  be  said  that  she  has  been  re 
markably  fortunate  in  her  mission,  having  smuggled  out 
all  the  specie  in  that  part  of  Mexico  destined  for  foreign 
ports,  and  defrauded  the  Mexican  Government  out  of  a 
very  large  amount  of  duties. 

The  Calypso  commenced  receiving  specie  at  Guaymas, 
and  proceeded  down  the  coast  to  Navachista,  Altata, 
Ajiavampo  and  Mazatlan,  in  all  of  which  ports  she  col 
lected  $2,000,000.  From  thence  the  Calypo  proceeded 
to  San  Bias  and  one  or  two  small  ports  below,  where 
she  received  $3,000,000  more,  making  the  sum  total  of 
her  receipts  $5,000,000. 

The  export  duty  on  this  silver,  according  to  Mexican 
law,  is  five  per  cent,  but  by  the  connivance  of  the  for 
eign  traders  in  the  country  interested,  and  this  English 
man-of-war,  the  entire  amount  of  $5,000,000  was,  by  the 
most  disgraceful,  clandestine  manoeuvres,  smuggled  on 
board,  and  the  payment  of  the  sum  of  $250,000  as  ex 
port  duty  avoided.  It  seems  incredible  that  England, 
claiming  to  be  the  most  powerful  and  just  nation  on 
earth,  should  year  after  year  detail  her  ships-of-war  to 


63 

the  Pacific  coast,  there  to  carry  out  a  degrading  and  dis 
graceful  system  of  smuggling,  by  which  the  Mexican 
nation  is  robbed  of  the  little  it  has  wherewith  to  pay  the 
national  debt. 

The  Calypso  having  gathered  up  all  the  specie  on  the 
Mexican-Pacific  coast,  sails  for  England,  and  touching  at 
Panama,  lands  $1,500,000  for  shipment  via  the  Isthmus, 
and  only  reports  this  amount  as  being  on  board.  The 
captain  forwards  his  receipts  for  the  amounts  remaining 
on  board,  which  receipts  pass  with  almost  the  same  cur 
rency  in  England  as  bank-notes,  and  the  Calypso  takes 
her  course  homeward  round  the  Horn. 

This  sum  of  $5,000,000  thus  smuggled  out  of  the 
country  on  board  the  English  man-of-war,  belongs  to 
foreign  traders  on  the  Mexican-Pacific  coast,  and  forms 
their  remittances  for  goods  purchased  in  Europe,  said 
goods  having  been  smuggled  into  Mexico  by  these  foreign 
traders,  (for  the  most  part  under  the  protection  of 
English  consuls  and  English  men-of-war,)  and  the 
Mexican  Government  thus  defrauded  of  the  import  duty 
thereon. 

This  English  man-of-war,  it  is  stated,  committed  an 
overt  act  in  her  illegal  proceedings. 

The  Calypso  was  lying  off  a  secluded  cove,  or  small 
harbor,  somewhere  in  the  neighborhood  of  San  Bias,  on 
the  Pacific  coast,  ready  to  receive  such  specie  as  should 
be  clandestinely  brought  off  to  her  in  launches.  A  small 
armed  vessel,  of  the  Mexican  coast  service,  proceeded 
to  this  locality  with  the  intention  of  frustrating  the  plans 
of  the  smugglers.  To  this  end  she  fired  across  the  bows 
of  one  of  the  launches  freighted  with  silver,  and  ordered 


64 

them  to  close  their  illegal  proceedings  ;  upon  which  the 
Calypso  fired  into  the  Mexican  vessel,  and  ordered  the 
captain  thereof  to  desist,  or  he  would  sink  his  craft. 
The  Mexican  was  obliged  to  obey,  and  the  Calypso  com 
pleted  her  smuggling  operations  without  further  moles 
tation. 

Thus  it  appears  that  an  English  sloop-of-war  not  only 
violates  the  revenue  laws  of  Mexico — a  country  with 
which  she  is  at  peace — but  sustains  such  violation  with 
her  guns.  This  single  act  on  the  part  of  the  Calypso, 
if  perpetrated  against  a  powerful  nation,  would  con 
stitute  a  perfect  casus  belli,  and  would  infallibly  be  so 
treated.  And  if  Mexico  refuses  to  pay  one  dollar  of  her 
English  debt,  until  England  puts  an  end  to  her  nefarious 
system  of  smuggling  into  Mexico^  and  makes  amends  for 
the  past,  she  will  be  sustained  in  such  refusal  by  the 
unanimous  sentiment  of  the  civilized  world. 

The  cruise  of  the  Calypso — smuggling  out  of  the 
country  specie  or  bullion  received  by  foreign  traders  for 
goods  smuggled  into  the  country — is  but  an  illustration 
of  the  manner  in  which  the  English  have  conducted 
business  on  the  Mexican-Pacific  coast  for  the  last  twenty- 
five  years.  What  country  could  ever  rise  to  a  respect 
able  standard  among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  that  is 
obliged  to  submit  to  such  a  wholesale  system  of  plunder 
as  this  ?  What  earthly  reason  is  there  why  Mexico 
should  not  substantiate  the  facts,  and,  year  by  year, 
deduct  from  English  claims  the  amount  of  which  she 
is  thus  defrauded  by  English  officials  ?  It  is  a  deep  and 
shameful  wrong  that  England  is  thus  perpetrating 
towards  Mexico.  The  treaty  now  pending  between  the 


65 

United  Stales  and  that  country,  has  a  very  important 
bearing  upon  this  point.  It  will,  in  fact  if  consummated, 
entirely  break  up  that  combination  of  trading  and  smug 
gling  officials  which  has  so  long  controlled  that  portion 
of  the  Pacific  coast,  and  give  the  business  to  the  Ameri 
cans,  to  whom  it  legitimately  belongs,  and  in  whose 
hands  it  will  be  systematized  in  conformity  with  the 
laws  of  the  country,  and  increased  a  hundredfold." 

Is  any' thing  more  needed  to  expose  the  enormous 
contraband  traffic  that  England,  through  her  private 
citizens  and  public  functionaries,  has  for  years  carried 
on  in  Mexico,  than  the  preceding  statement?  The 
industrial  and  commercial  interests  of  the  latter  country, 
under  the  combined  influences  of  this  oppressive  com 
mercial  system  and  incessant  revolutions,  now  lie  pros 
trate  and  ruined ;  and  it  now  falls  to  the  lot  of  the  United 
States  to  extend  a  helping  hand  to  the  neighboring 
Republic,  and  inaugurate  a  new  and  reviving  commercial 
policy,  the  first  step  toward  which  is,  the  opening  of 
rapid  and  regular  communication,  by  means  of  mail 
steamers  under  government  patronage. 

The  total  value  of  gold  and  silver  legally  exported 
since  the  conquest  down  to  1858,  a  period  of  339  years, 
is  estimated  by  official  documents  at  $4,640,204,889. 
This  gives  $13,687,920  as  the  average  legal  exports  of 
the  precious  metals  per  annum,  since  the  landing  of 
Hernando  Cortes  up  to  1858.  We  cannot  regard  this 
statement  as  having  any  approximation  even  to  the 
truth.  It  is,  in  fact,  absolutely  impossible  to  give  any 
reliable  data  from  which  an  accurate  estimate  of  the 
amount  of  precious  metals  that  has  been  exported  from 
9 


66 

Mexico,  or  in  other  words,  how  much  gold  and  silver  she 
has  furnished  to  the  world  since  the  conquest  by  the 
Spaniards.  Irregular  or  illegal  commerce  both  in  im 
ports  and  exports,  was  not  carried  on  in  Mexico  under 
the  viceroys  to  the  same  extent  that  it  has  been  since 
the  independence  of  the  country,  still,  there  has  always 
been  more  or  less  irregularity,  and  the  inducements  to 
conceal  the  real  product  of  the  mines  and  smuggle  specie, 
bullion  and  plate  out  of  the  country,  have  been  great 
from  the  beginning.  Our  statements  relative  to  the 
commerce  of  Mexico,  which  give  at  the  present  time 
$54,000,000  as  the  sum  total  per  annum,  are  of  course 
made  up  from  data  derived  from  official  sources.  And 
while  we  publish  these  as  the  only  reliable  statements, 
we  do  not  hesitate  to  say,  that  from  other  equally  reliable 
authority,  those  official  statements,  which  make  it  appear 
that  from  fifteen  to  twenty  millions  of  dollars  has  been 
the  annual  specie  export  from  Mexico  since  she  became 
a  republic,  are  far  short  of  the  truth.  There  is  every 
reason  to  believe,  that  the  true  amount  is  nearer 
$40,000,000,  and  when  we  take  into  consideration  the 
extent  of  illegal  exportations  of  specie  and  illegal  im 
portations  of  merchandise,  it  would  be  found  that  the 
contraband  trade  exceeds  the  legal  trade,  and  instead  of 
presenting  the  present  estimate  of  $54,000,000  per  an 
num,  the  facts,  could  they  all  be  given,  would,  doubtless, 
make  an  exhibit  of  more  than  $100,000,000  per  annum. 
This  explains  why  it  is  that  the  official  returns  make 
such  an  exceedingly  low  exhibit  of  imports  per  capita 
for  the  Mexican  population,  as  compared  with  other 
Spanish  American  countries,  that  for  Mexico  being  but 


67 

$3.14,  while  for  Cuba  they  are  $27.29,  Uruguay  $25.86, 
Chili  $12.70,  Brazil  $8.96,  and  the  average  of  the  whole 
of  South  America  is  $6.13  per  capita. 

• 
Real  Estate. 

According  to  the  statistics  furnished  by  Sr.  Lerdo  de 
Tejada,  based  upon  the  last  official  statistics  presented 
by  the  General  Office  for  contributions  to  the  Govern 
ment,  it  would  appear  that  the  number  of  estates  in  the 
whole  Republic  amounts  to  13,000,  the  value  of  which  is 
estimated  at  $720,000,000,  and  that  of  town  property  at 
$635,000000,  so  that  the  total  value  of  real  estate 
amounts  to  $1,355,000,000. 

Although  the  above  sums  may  appear,  at  first  sight, 
somewhat  exaggerated,  they  are  doubtless  considerably 
under  the  mark,  notwithstanding  the  bad  condition  gen 
erally  of  property  in  the  Republic.  These  amounts,  of 
course,  comprise  the  total  value  of  the  whole  extent  of 
real  estate  throughout  the  country,  including  the  house 
property  contained  in  26,468  villages  and  towns  of  all 
classes,  being  the  number  now  existing  in  the  Republic. 
The  latter  class  of  property,  in  the  city  of  Mexico  alone, 
is  worth  to-day  over  $80,000,000,  and  that  in  the  other 
principal  cities  represents  an  aggregate  capital  of  from 
$250,000,000  to  $300,000,000. 

The  above  figures  show  the  enormous  wealth  of  the 
Republic  at  the  present  time  in  real  estate,  which  might 
be  doubled  or  trebled  in  ten  years  with  facility,  could  the 
country  be  so  fortunate  as  to  enjoy  internal  peace  arid 
prosperity  during  that  length  of  time. 


63 


MANUFACTURES. 


The  principal  products  of  Mexican  manufactures  are 
aguadiente,  sugar,  mescal,  (which  is  made  from  the 
juice  of  the  agave,)  'soap,  oil,  wine  and  brandy,  delft 
ware,  glass,  paper,  cotton  thread  and  cloth,  woolen  and 
silk  thread  and  cloth,  harness  and  Tuscan  cloths,  which 
are  made  from  the  fibres  of  the  agave. 

The  manufactures  of  sugar  and  aguadiente  are  car- 

o  o 

ried  on  at  the  private  farms  of  individuals.  Mills  are 
used  for  the  former  and  alembics  for  the  latter.  The 
system  followed  generally  is  ancient  and  very  imperfect, 
but  on  some  estates,  the  modern  improvements  and  machi 
nery  for  the  manufacture  of  sugar  and  the  distillation  of 
aguadiente  have  been  introduced.  These  two  articles 
are  chiefly  manufactured  in  the  States  of  Vera  Cruz, 
Tabasco,  Yucatan,  Mexico,  Guerrero,  Michoacan  and 
Jalisco.  With  respect  to  the  manufacture  of  wine  and 
brandy  from  the  grape,  although  there  are  several  large 
vineyards  in  the  States  of  Coahuila,  Chihuahua,  Gua 
najuato,  Oajaca,  Sonora,  San  Luis  Potosi  and  Lower 
California,  yet  it  is  only  in  the  two  first-mentioned  of 
the  above  States,  and  particularly  in  Chihuahua,  where 
wines  and  brandies  are  made  in  any  quantity.  In  the 
last-mentioned  State  25,000  barrels  of  wine  and  11,600 
of  brandy  were  made  in  1854. 

With  respect  to  the  manufacture  of  cotton  thread  and 
cloths,  besides  the  great  number  of  spinning-wheels  and 
looms  worked  by  hand,  which  are  employed  throughout 
the  country  for  the  making  of  checks  and  other  textile 
fabrics  in  common  use,  there  are  also  at  the  present  time 


69 

46  large  factories,  using  extensive  machinery,  in  the 
States  of  Coahuila,  New  Leon,  Durango,  Jalisco,  Mexico, 
Puebla,  Queretaro,  Vera  Cruz  and  in  the  Federal  District. 

Although  there  are  some  of  the  finer  cloths  manufac 
tured  in  these,  the  principal  product  consists  of  thread 
and  brown  cottons,  or  mantas.  According  to  the  statistics 
published  by  the  Ministry  of  Fomento  in  1854  there  were 
7,274,779  pounds  of  the  former  and  875,224  pieces  of 
the  latter  made  at  these  factories  in  the  preceding  year. 

In  addition  to  the  above  a  certain  quantity  of  tapes, 
gloves,  stockings  and  other  similar  articles,  are  manufac 
tured  in  Mexico. 

Of  woolen  manufactures,  in  addition  to  the  numerous 
hand- looms  in  various  parts,  by  which  common  cloth, 
frieze,  serges,  druggets,  blankets,  &c.,  are  manufactured, 
there  are  at  this  time,  eight  large  woolen  manufactories 
in  the  Federal  District,  and  in  the  States  of  Mexico, 
Queretaro,  Zacatecas  and  Durango.  At  these,  fine 
cloths,  cassimeres,  carpetings,  baize  and  flannels,  and 
other  stuffs  are  produced,  which  in  price  and  quality  are 
equal  to  any  imported. 

In  the  capital,  and  in  Puebla,  and  Guadalajara,  there 
are  above  70  silk  machines  for  spinning  and  twisting 
silk,  worked  by  hand.  The  whole  number  of  pounds 
twisted  in  Mexico  in  a  year  may  be  estimated  at  40,000. 

There  are  eight  paper  factories  established  in  the  Dis 
trict  and  State  of  Mexico,  Puebla  and  Jalisco,  which 
produce  not  only  sufficient  to  supply  the  press  of  the 
Republic,  but  considerable  quantities  for  other  uses. 
Cotton  and  the  fibre  of  the  maguey  are  the  principal 
materials  used. 


70 

There  are  no  certain  data  by  which  to  ascertain  the 
present  annual  value  of  the  manufactures  of  all  kinds 
produced  in  Mexico.  But  with  due  allowance  for  the 
great  progress  which  has  been  made  in  this  branch  of 
national  wealth,  we  may  safely  put  down  the  sum  total 
of  the  value  of  the  manufactures  of  the  Republic  at 
$90,000,000  or  $100,000,000  annually. 

Cotton  Factories  in  the  Republic  of  Mexico. 


Where 
aitu  i  ted. 

;  2 

g'C 

ll 

IN 

B&i 

*-s^ 

1  Number  of 
hand  Looms, 

Number  of 
Spindles  in 
operation. 

Yearly 
consumption 
of  Cotton. 

Factory 
prices  27  yds. 
by  7-8. 

Cost  of 
Cotton  at 
Factory. 

Cost  of 
Buildings 
and 
Machinery. 

*!f 

Annual 
expenses. 

STATE    OF 

Coahuila  .... 
Durango  
Guinajuato.  . 
Jalisco    .... 
Mexico  
Puebla  .  .    . 
Queretaro  . 
Sonora  .  . 
Vera  Cruz  .  . 
Colima  

5 

5 

8 
17 
1 
1 
6 
2 

40 
117 

427 
850 
498 
300 
60 
509 

584 
262 

48 

1,300 
4536 
900 

18  352 
23  850 
40,548 
7.500 
1,924 
22,444 

Quintals. 
1,300 
4,781 
950 
24,350 
21400 
36,351 
15,000 
2500 
18,261 

per  Piece. 

Quintals- 
$21 
18  to  24 
20   "  25 
22  "  34 
22   "28 
20   "26 
26 
26 
15  "25 

$5.00 
4.50  to  6.00 
4.50  "  5.50 
3.62  "  4.00 
3.  00  "4.  87 
5.00 
5.00 
3.00  "  4-50 

Total     .  .  . 

47 

3.001 

894 

121,354 

124,893 

$7,372,951 

10,000 

$1,261,000 

In  the  States  of  Durango,  Mexico,  Michoacan,  and  Oajaca, 
exist  various  iron  foundries,  where  the  best  quality  of  iron  is 
manufactured. 


The  following  list  of  the  wholesale  prices  of  Iron  in  the  city 
of  Mexico  was  furnished  by  the  owners  of  one  of  the 
largest  Iron  Works  in  the  Republic. 


Large  castings         .... 

Light      "          ..... 

Small  bar  Iron  (Mexican)  under  J  inch 
Do.    larger  sizes,  up  to  3  inch 
Do.    very  heavy,  over  3  inch 


12£  a   14  cents  per  Ib. 
15     «  17      ' 
15     "  17     "          " 
12     "  13     "          " 
15     "          " 


71 

Sheet  Iron,  best       *         .         .   ,      .  13     a   1 6  cents  per  Ib. 

Do.         very  thin  or  very  heavy  .             18     "          " 

Hoop  Iron,  best        .        ..       ; .:-,     .  13     "16     "          " 

Pig  Iron,  best  gray       ....  5     "          " 

Do.        No.  2,       .         .         .         .  3f  "     4     "          " 

Mexican  bar  and  tyre  Iron  is  preferred  to  the  English 
for  quality.  The  above  prices  include  the  rates  for 
English  imported  Iron,  as  well  as  that  made  in  Mexico. 

MEXICO,  June  26th,  1857. 

NATIONAL    DEBT. 

The  total  amount  of  the  national  debt,  at  the  beginning 
of  1857,  is  divided  into  interior  and  exterior.  The  first 
arises  out  of  sundry  obligations  contracted  under  the 
Vice-Royalty  and  after  the  Independence;  and  the  second 
out  of  loans  contracted  in  London  in  the  years  1823 
and  1824. 

FOREIGN  DEBT. 

The  capital  of,  or  amount  due  under  this  head,  accord 
ing  to  the  last  convention,  is  £10,241,650,  which,  at 
$5  per  pound  sterling,  is  equal  to  .  .  $51,208,250 

For  six  dividends  due  since  1st  January,  1853,  up  to 
December  31st,  1855  .  .  4,608,741 


$55,816,991 

INTERIOR    DEBT. 

The  total  amount  of  this  fund,  on  the  31st  December, 
1850,  after  making  the  deduction  prescribed  by  law, 
passed  on  November  30th  of  the  same  year,  was  calcu 
lated  at  $40,000,000,  of  which  the  Junta  de  Credito 
Publico  had  recognized  and  liquidated  the  sum  of 


72 

$16,829,775,  up  to  January  1st,  1855;  but  as  certain 
amounts,  paid  previously,  and  the  value  of  credits 
formed  by  after- conventions,  which  figure  separately, 
were  taken  after  the  above  calculation,  this  debt  did 
not  amount,  at  the  beginning  of  1857,  to  more  than 

$30,000,000 

To  amount  credited  for  interest  on  fund  recognized, 

up  to  January  1st,  1856 2,491,395 

The  debt  contracted  during  the  five  years  preceding 
the  above  calculation,  up  to  the  31st  December, 
1855,  supposing  that  not  more  than  three  million 
dollars  per  annum  have  remained  owing  to  military 
and  civil  obligations,  and  adding  to  this  the  debts 
contracted  by  the  chiefs  of  the  late  revolution,  which 
have  been  recognized  by  the  present  government, 

will  amount  to 17,000,000 

British  conventions         ....      $4,323,428 

Of  Padre  Moran 855,210    5,178,638 

Spanish  convention,  including  bonds  in  circulation  and 

those  to  be  emitted 6,680,000 

French  convention          .         .         .         .         »        .  600,000 


$61,950,033 

RECAPITULATION. 

Interior  debt $61,950,033 

Foreign    "  ....  55,816,991 

Total  .       —$117,767,024 

NOTE. — The  sum  of  $768,123,  the  amount  of  one  dividend  on 
the  British  convention  debt,  may  be  deducted,  as  it  has  been  paid 
since  the  above  estimate  was  made. 

Since  the  above  statistics  were  made  up,  the  French  convention 
debt  of  $600,000  has  been  liquidated. 


73 


GOVERNMENT    REVENUE. 

Notwithstanding  that  a  law  was  made  November  24, 
1856;  designating  the  revenues  of  the  Supreme  Govern 
ment  and  those  of  the  States,  it  has  not  been  put  in 
practice,  nor  are  the  anterior  laws  on  the  subject;  the 
consequence  of  which  is,  that  many  of  the  States  not 
having  a  systematized  revenue,  take  such  sums  from  the 
general  fund  at  their  disposal,  as  they  may  require  for 
their  own  wants.  This  being  the  real  state  of  affairs,  it 
is  well  to  present,  without  any  deduction,  what  the  estab 
lished  taxes  and  revenue  will  produce,  in  order  that  a 
comparison  may  be  made  between  them  and  the  total 
amount  of  expenditure,  which  will  clearly  show  what  the 
true  state  of  the  treasury  is : 

Import  duties  .....  .  $4,500,000 

Twenty  per  cent,  for  material  improvements       .             .  900,000 

Twenty-five  per  cent,  for  sinking-fund  of  the  interior  debt  .  1,125,000 

Ten  per  cent,  internal  duties  on  $3,500,000         .             .  350,000 

Twenty  per  cent,  register  duty  on  ditto          .             .             .  700,000 

Tonnage  dues                    .....  90.000 

Light-house  dues         ......  20.000 

Exportation  duty              .....  600,000 

Circulation  duty           ......  300,000 

Alcabala  or  interior  duty             .              ...  3,500,000 

Three  per  cent,  coinage  and  mint  duty           .             .             .  450,000 

One  real  per  mark  on  same,  (12£  cents)                 .             .  220,000 

Mails 150,000 

Direct  taxes           ......  1,200,000 

Stamp  duty     .             .             .             .             .             .             .  150,000 

Post-office              ......  60,000 

Lotteries         .  .  .  .  .  .  .80000 

lolls                       300,000 

Pawnbrokers'  house,  foreign  licences,  legacy  duty,  salt  duty, 

card  duty,  discount  of  salaries  and  sundries             .             .  405,000 

Total $15,000,000 

COMPARISON. 

Expenses $24,819,203 

Revenue .  15,000,000 

Deficit      ...  .  $9,819,203 

10 


74 


ANNUAL  EXPENSES  OF  GOVERNMENT. 

Sr.  Lerdo  de  Tejada,  in  his  work  published  in  1856, 
says :  Notwithstanding  that,  under  our  present  form  of 
provisional  government,  we  cannot  well  define  the 
obligations  which  weigh  upon  the  general  and  State 
government,  the  latter  have  already  assumed  the  respon 
sibility  of  these  internal  expenses  and  administration, 
and  the  former  has  done  likewise  as  relating  to  the  whole 
nation,  following  the  order  observed  under  the  federal 
system  of  1852. 

The  total  annual  expenditure  of  the  general  govern 
ment,  according  to  the  statistics  published  by  the 
"  Minister  of  Hacienda"  on  the  31st  December,  1856, 
was  $14,228,325,  as  follows: 

Government    offices,  public   establishments  and    im 
provements     $5,294,181 

Army  and  navy 4,309  377 

Revenue  officers'  and  government  necessities  .  .  765,327 
Public  debt,  interest  and  sinking  fund  .  .  .  3,584,690 
Municipality  of  Mexico 274,750 


Total        .         .         .         $14,228,325 

But  as  economical  reforms  have  been  introduced 
into  this  estimate,  which  have  not  been  and  cannot  be 
carried  out,  many  expenses  not  being  taken  into  account, 
such  as  the  repair  and  preservation  of  the  roads,  the 
payment  of  interest  on  the  interior  debt,besides 
which,  no  allowance  having  been  made  for  extra 
ordinary  disbursements,  which  the  present  state  of  the 
country  demands ;  I  think  that,  without  exaggeration, 


75 


the  wants  of  the  government  during  the  present  year, 
notwithstanding  the  reductions  in  the  army,  will  amount 
to  not  less  than  $20,000,000.  The  following  table 
exhibits  the  average  expenses  of  the  several  States, 
according  to  their  own  estimates : 


Aguascalientes     .     . 

1858  . 

.  $33,000 

Puebla      .... 

1852 

.     .  $448,130 

Chiapas   .... 

1856     . 

42,523 

Queretaro   .     .     . 

1856 

131,114 

Chihuahua      .     .     . 

1850  . 

.  162,476 

San  Luis  Potosi     . 

1856 

.     .       87,115 

Coahuila      .     .     . 

1850     . 

48,192 

Sinaloa.     .     .     . 

1850 

132,500 

Durango    .... 

1852  . 

.   156,091 

Sonora     .... 

1850 

.     .     140,906 

Guanajuato       .     , 

1850     . 

596,347 

Tabasco       .     .     . 

1856 

48,240 

Guerrero     .... 

1856  . 

.     78,554 

Taraaulipas   . 

1851 

.     .        52,020 

Jalisco      .... 

1850     . 

456,477 

Vera  Cruz       .     . 

1850 

196,603 

1850  . 

.  496,414 

Yucatan  .... 

1856 

.     .      182,504 

Michoacan    .     .     . 

1856     . 

227,865 

Zacatecas  .     .     . 

1856 

675,671 

Nuevo  Leon    .    .     . 

1852  . 

.     69,880 



Oaxaca     .... 

1852     . 

354,491 

Total     . 

. 

.  $4,817,113 

RECAPITULATION. 
Expenses  of  the  General  Government 
"  "       State  Governments 


Total 


$20,000,000 
4,817,113, 

$24,817,113 


Clergy. 

The  statement  of  the  Minister  of  "  Justice  and  Eccle 
siastical  Affairs,"  presented  in  1852,  gives  the  following 
figures  relative  to  the  clergy  of  the  Republic : 

3,232  secular  ecclesiastics. 

83  secular  ecclesiastics  distributed  in  eight  oratories  of  San 
Felipe  de  Neri  the  convent  of  San  Camilo,  and  the 
House  of  the  "  Company  of  Jesus." 

1,043  regular  ecclesiastics,  distributed  in  144  convents,  32  cura 
cies,  and  40  missions. 

252  regular  ecclesiastics,  distributed  in  6  colleges  "propaga 
ting  the  faith." 

4,610  individuals. 


76 

The  number  of  nunneries  is  58,  of  which  48  are  sub 
ject  to  the  ordinary  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction,  and  10  to 
the  "regulars,"  containing  a  total  of  1,484  nuns,  533 
girls,  and  1,266  maid-servants,  besides  which,  there  are 
five  establishments  belonging  to  the  Sisters  of  Charity, 
with  37  matrons  and  41  novices.  The  government  of 
the  clergy  is  divided  into  one  archbishopric,  that  of 
Mexico,  and  thirteen  bishoprics,  which  are  those  of  Pue- 
bla,  Michoacan,  Jalisco,  Nuevo  Leon,  Oajaca,  Durango, 
Yucatan,  Chiapas,  Sonora,  Lower  California,  and  "  Our 
Lady  of  Guadalupe,"  which  last  bears  the  title  of 
"  Abad."  In  nine  of  the  cathedrals  belonging  to  the 
above  mitres,  there  are  183  prebendaries,  and  these  dio 
ceses  are  divided  into  1,222  parishes. 

Revenue  of  the  Clergy. 

The  general  revenue  destined  for  the  support  of  the 
clergy  in  the  Republic,  may  be  divided  into  four  great 
classes,  viz.:  1st.  Those  corresponding  to  bishops  and 
canons,  who  form  the  bodies  belonging  to  their  respect 
ive  cathedrals.  2d.  Those  belonging  to  private  ecclesi 
astics  and  chaplains,  3d.  Those  belonging  to  curates  and 
vicars ;  and,  4th,  those  appertaining  to  various  religious 
communities  of  both  sexes.  The  first  are  principally 
composed  of  taxes  known  as  tithes,  or  diezmos  y  pruni- 
cias,  the  product  of  which  was  formerly  very  great,  con 
sisting  of  one-tenth  of  all  produce  gathered  in  the  Re 
public,  and  on  the  first  breedings  of  cattle.  Latterly, 
however,  this  revenue  has  much  decreased ;  as,  by  a  law 
passed  on  the  27th  October,  1833,  all  farmers  and  labor- 


77 

ers  were  released  from  obligation  to  pay  it.  Notwith 
standing  the  law,  there  are  many  persons  who,  from  con 
scientious  motiveSj  still  continue  to  pay  tithes.  So  many, 
indeed,  are  there  who  do  so,  that  the  income  to  the  clergy 
from  it  is  very  considerable.  This  body  also  receives  the 
interest  of  large  bequests  left  by  -devoted  persons  for 
annual  performances,  called  "  anniversaries,"  out  of 
which  the  expenses  are  defrayed.  The  bishoprics  of 
Sonora,  Lower  California,  New  Leon,  Chiapas  and  Yu 
catan,  enjoy  government  pensions,  amounting  together  to 
the  sum  of  $32  200.  The  College  of  "  Our  Lady  of 
Guadalupe,"  has  besides  twenty-five  lotteries,  which  are 
drawn  annually,  with  a  fund  of  $13,000  each,  some 
estates,  and  a  capital  of  $621,000  recognized  by  the 
Government. 

The  private  ecclesiastics  support  themselves  by  rev 
enues  derived  from  chaplaincies,  which  are  sums  sub 
scribed  by  religious  persons  for  that  purpose,  amounting 
generally  to  about  $3,000,  lent  out  at  interest.  This, 
with  the  various  sums  received  in  charity  and  for  saying 
masses,  forms  their  means  of  subsistence. 

The  revenue  of  curates  is  derived  from  parochial  dues 
for  births,  marriages,  deaths,  etc.  ;  from  masses  perform 
ed  in  the  churches  by  the  desire  of  devout  persons,  and 
lastly  from  the  profits  arising  out  of  the  sale  of  rosaries, 
medals,  wax,  etc.,  to  the  same  class. 

The  revenue  of  convents  is  obtained  by  charity, 
masses,  and  burials  in  their  own  churches,  besides  the 
income  from  their  valuable  estates.  The  nunneries  are 
also  supported  by  the  produce  of  their  extensive  estates, 
with  the  exception  of  one  or  two,  which  do  not  possess 


78 

any  propeity,  and  are  entirely  supported  by  charity. 
Besides  these  revenues  spoken  of,  there  are  several 
cathedrals  and  parishes  deriving  revenue  from  estates 
and  investments,  which  is  appropriated  to  the  wants  and 
service  of  the  clergy  in  general. 

Owing  to  the  want  of  publicity  in  the  management  of 
the  affairs  of  the  clergy,  it  is  difficult  to  arrive  at  the 
exact  value  and  revenue  of  their  property  ;  still,  an  ap 
proximate  estimate  may  be  made,  by  taking  as  a  basis 
the  data  within  reach — such  as  the  annual  value  of  agri 
cultural  produce,  the  number  of  births,  marriages  and 
deaths,  and  the  number  of  devout  rites  and  fetes  which 
are  still  habitual  and  common  with  most  of  the  in 
habitants.  According  to  these  tables,  it  can  be  safely 
computed  that  the  total  amount  collected  at  this  date  by 
the  clergy  of  Mexico,  under  the  head  of  tithes,  parochial 
dues,  charities,  ecclesiastical  fetes,  and  sale  of  devotional 
articles,  is  not  less  then  from  six  to  eight  million  dol 
lars  annually.  So  far  as  regards  the  property  of  the 
clergy,  some  writers  have  estimated  it  as  one-half  of  the 
whole  real  estate  in  the  country ;  others  at  one-third. 
Setting  these  statements  aside,  the  total  value  of  their 
property — including  sums  subscribed  for  chaplaincies  and 
gifts,  estates,  houses,  churches,  and  other  resources — 
to-day,  may  be  computed  at  two  hundred  and  fifty  to 
three  hundred  millioa  dollars,  notwithstanding  the  great 
losses  which  they  are  said  to  have  suffered  for  some  years 
past.  In  the  city  of  Mexico  alone,  which  contains  five 
thousand  houses,  valued  at  eighty  million  dollars,  the 
clergy,  own  at  least  one  half.  The  income  of  the 
above,  added  to  the  tithes  and  parochial  dues,  etc.,  etc., 


79 

warrant  me  in  stating  that  the  Mexican  clergy  collect, 
throughout  the  Republic  annually,  a  sum  of  twenty 
millions  of  dollars." 


GENERAL    REMARKS    RELATIVE    TO    THE    RESPECTIVE    STATES. 
AGUASCALIENTES. 

This  State,  situated  in  the  centre  of  the  Republic,  is 
bounded  north  by  Zacatecas  and  San  Luis  Potosi,  east 
by  San  Luis  Potosi,  south,  by  San  Luis  Potosi  and 
Jalisco,  and  west  by  Zacatecas.  The  climate  is  tem 
perate  and  healthy ;  the  eastern  section  of  the  State  is 
for  the  most  part  level,  and  contains  beautiful  plains, 
while  the  western  division  is  mountainous.  Corn, 
wheat,  fruit  and  vegetables  are  produced  in  great  abun 
dance.  The  State  contains  mines  of  silver  and  other 
metals,  but  they  are  neither  rich  or  abundant. 

There  are  numbered  in  this  State,  one  city,  one  villa, 
three  pueblas,  three  minerales  or  mining  districts,  37 
haciendas  and  288  ranches.  The  capital  of  the  State  is 
Aguascalientes,  a  city  of  39,699  inhabitants. 

CHIHUAHUA. 

Chihuahua  is  bounded  north  by  United  States,  east  by 
United  States  and  Coahuila,  south  by  Durango,  west  by 
Sinaloa  and  Sonora.  The  State  is  430  miles  long 
from  north  to  south,  and  337  miles  wide.  The  con 
figuration  of  the  State  is  very  unequal,  the  greater 
portion  being  more  or  less  cut  up  by  mountains.  The 
great  Sierra  Madre  runs  entirely  through  the  western 
section,  and  is  known  by  the  name  of  Tarahumava.  In 


so 

the  interior  are  the  mountains  de  Car  cay  de  la  Escondida, 
and  del  Nido,  and  to  the  east  of  these  is  the  Sierra  de  la 
Campana.  The  principal  river,  El  Bravo  del  Norte,  ris-es 
in  the  Sierra  Madre  and  forms  the  boundary  line  between 
the  State  and  Texas. 

The  climate  in  general  is  agreeable  and  healthy,  but 
there  is  a  great  variation  in  the  temperature,  the  higher 
regions  being  subject  to  severe  cold,  while  the  low  plains 
at  certain  seasons  of  the  year  are  excessively  hot. 

The  agricultural  districts  are  numerous,  but  none  of 
them  are  very  extensive,  owing  to  the  scarcity  of  water. 
The  land  is  cultivated  solely  by  irrigation.  The  principal 
productions  are  corn,  wheat  and  barley,  with  frijoles, 
lentils,  and  peas,  to  wich  may  be  added  the  moderate 
production  of  sugar-cane  and  cotton,  the  yearly  yield  of 
the  latter  being  estimated  at  322,775  ]bs.  Of  fruits, 
there  are  in  considerable  abundance,  grapes,  figs, 
oranges,  lemons,  pears,  peaches,  quinces,  &,c.,  &c. 

Chihuahua  has  remarkable  facilities  for  the  raising  of 
stock.  Her  hills,  plains  and  valleys  afford  sustenance 
for  cattle,  horses,  mules  and  sheep  throughout  the  year, 
and  in  no  section  of  the  habitable  part  is  the  climate 
such  as  to  require  shelter  for  stock,  the  raising  of  which 
has  always  been  one  of  the  principal  sources  of  wealth 
in  the  State. 

But  it  is  for  its  mines  that  the  State  of  Chihuahua  is 
destined  to  be  most  distinguished.  Sufficient  progress 
has  been  made  in  the  working  of  these,  principally  silver, 
to  prove  that  they  are  of  surpassing  richness.  The 
coinage  at  the  mint  in  the  city  of  Chihuahua  during  the 
year  1855  was,  of  gold  $17,536,  and  of  silver  $475,500, 


81 

giving  the  total  coinage  of  $493,036.  This  is,  in  reality, 
a  small  exhibit  for  the  mint  of  a  silver-producing  State, 
but  it  must  be  taken  into  consideration  that  a  large 
amount  is  carried  out  of  the  State  in  bars,  and  further 
more,  this  branch  of  industry,  as  well  as  all  others 
throughout  this  region,  has  been  brought  to  the  verge  of 
ruin  by  hordes  of  wild  Indians,  of  whom  the  Apaches 
are  the  principal,  and  who  for  many  years  have  followed 
their  thieving,  destructive  calling,  almost  without  let  or 
hindrance.  The  State  is,  in  fact,  partially  abandoned  by 
reason  of  this  great  scourge. 

The  capital  of  the  State  is  the  city  of  Chihuahua. 
Population  12,000. 

Something  relative  to  the  trade  of  Chihuahua,  and  the 
system  under  which  it  is  conducted,  may  be  learned  from 
the  following  letter : 

The  U.  S.  Consul  at   Chihuahua  writes  Nov.  1,  1858  : 

"  There  passes  the  custom-house  in  this  city,  a  million 
and  a  half  of  dollars  (in  value)  of  goods  annually,  the 
majority  of  which  come  from  the  United  States.  There 
is  but  one  manufactory  in  this  State,  and  it  nianufactures 
only  unbleached  domestics  ;  there  is  now  another  in 
course  of  erection,  prompted  probably  by  the  success  of 
the  first. 

One  factory  cannot  supply  the  demand  in  this  city. 

The  cotton  is  grown  in  this  State,  and  those  engaged 
in  raising  it  say  the  crop  never  fails.  The  climate  and 
soil  are  adapted  to  cotton  raising.  Cotton  is  also  taken 
from  this  State  to  the  southern  manufactories. 

The  climate  and  soil  are  also  well  adapted  to  the 
raising  of  tobacco. 
11 


82 

In  minerals  this  State  exceeds  any  other  in  the 
Republic.  There  is  coined  in  the  mint  in  this  city 
$1,000,000  in  silver  annually.  Of  the  silver  taken  from 
the  mines  not  one-third  comes  here  for  coinage.  One- 
half  of  the  metal  taken  from  the  mines  of  Jesus  Maria 
comes  here  to  be  coined ;  the  other  half  is  smuggled  out 
of  the  country  at  Guaymas  and  exchanged  for  goods 
smuo-gfled  in  there  One-half  of  the  Coralitas  silver  comes 

oo 

here ;  the  other  is  smuggled  out  at  El  Paso,  thence  to 
New  Orleans." 


COLIMA. 

The  small  State  of  Colima,  recently  a  territory,  is 
situated  on  the  Pacific  Ocean,  between  the  ports  of  Aca- 
pulco  and  San  Bias.  It  is  bounded  N.  &  E.  by  Jalisco, 
S.  &  W.  by  the  Pacific.  The  physical  configuration  of 
this  State  is  very  singular.  It  is  traversed  by  barrancas 
or  ravines  of  immense  depth  with  but  few  passes,  while  its 
bleak  mountains  and  volcanic  peaks  pierce  the  heavens, 
giving  to  the  country  in  general  a  barren  and  gloomy 
aspect.  The  climate  for  the  most  part  is  healthy,  though 
at  the  base  of  the  mountains  the  heat  is  excessive. 

The  natural  productions  in  agriculture  are  cotton  in 
digo,  coffee,  rice,  frijoles,  cacao,  Chili,  tobacco  and  sugar 
cane,  with  fruits,  such  as  palm  of  coco,  oranges,  lemons, 
plantains  pine-apples,  pomegranates,  &c.,  &c. 

The  principal  branches  of  industry  are,  after  agricul 
ture,  the  manufacture  of  sugar,  aguadiente,  soap,  and 
several  species  of  cotton  and  woolen  fabrics,  for  which 
there  are  two  or  three  small  factories.  No  mines  are 


83 

worked  in  this  State,  though  it  is  considered  rich  in 
silver,  copper,  lead,  iron,  sulphur,  nitrate,  &,c. 

Manzanillo,  situated  immediately  on  the  Pacific,  is  the 
only  port.  Its  harbor  is  deep  and  quite  secure,  but 
owing  to  the  low  back  country,  full  of  lakes  of  stagnant 
water  from  which  comes  up  a  pestiferous  miasma,  the 
port  of  Manzanilla  is,  perhaps,  one  of  the  most  unhealthy 
and  fatal  to  Europeans  that  can  be  named.  It  has 
recently  acquired  some  importance  from  the  fact  that 
the  California  steamers  occasionally  touch  there,  and 
receive  considerable  amounts  of  specie  brought  from 
the  interior. 

Colima  is  the  capital  of  the  State.  It  is  located  inland 
28  leagues  east  of  the  port  of  Manzanillo.  The  city  is 
healthy,  enjoys  quite  a  large  trade,  and  contains  31,774 
inhabitants. 


CHIAPAS. 


Chiapas,  situated  at  the  southern  extremity  of  the 
Republic,  is  bounded  north  by  Tabasco  and  Yucatan, 
east  by  Guatemala,  south  by  Guatemala  and  the  Pacific, 
west  by  the  Pacific,  Oajaca  and  Vera  Cruz.  The  State 
is  traversed  throughout  its  entire  length  by  the  Sierra 
Madre,  three  branches  of  which  run  nearly  parallel, 
presenting  a  considerable  depression  in  the  south.  The 
climate  is  agreeable  and  healthy.  The  country  is 
diversified,  and  in  many  sections  very  beautiful,  but 
Chiapas  is  one  of  those  Mexican  States  which  has  not 
been  fully  explored.  To  the  pen  and  pencil  of  Stephens 
&  Catherwood  are  we  indebted  for  those  sketches  which 


84 

afford  us  nearly  all  the  information  we  have  of  that 
mysterious  region,  and  the  relics  of  peoples  whose 
origin,  life,  and  disappearance  will  probably  forever 
remain  a  secret.  The  evidences  that  Chiapas  has 
once  been  densely  populated  are  abundant,  and  it  needs 
but  the  opening  power  of  trade  and  commerce  to  bring 
those  deserted  regions  again  into  life  and  activity.  The 
population  is  mostly  of  the  pure  Indian — the  Zoques, 
Zeldales,  Teochiapanecos  and  Mames  being  still  quite 
numerous. 

The  lands  are  very  fertile,  but  agriculture  languishes. 
The  productions  are  corn,  cocoa,  sugar-cane,  tobacco, 
vanilla,  pimento,  coffee,  indigo  of  the  finest  quality,  and 
tropical  fruits  in  great  variety.  The  forests  of  Chiapas 
supply  in  considerable  abundance,  cedar,  mahogany,  oak, 
ebony  and  other  valuable  woods.  Medicinal  herbs  of 
the  most  desirable  descriptions  are  also  found. 

Tradition  gives  to  Chiapas  rich  mines  of  gold  and 
silver.  Recent  explorations  have  also  produced  evidence 
of  this  fact.  But  at  present  no  mines  are  worked  in  the 
State.  Iron  and  lead  abound  in  the  vicinity  of  San 
Cristobal. 

Salt  is  produced  in  great  abundance  at  Tonala,  on  the 
Pacific  coast,  at  the  fountains  or  springs  of  Islopa  and 
Zinacautlan. 

Transportation  throughout  the  State  is  difficult  for  the 
want  of  roads  or  trails.  It  has  no  port  on  the  Pacific, 
and  its  imports  and  exports  are  through  the  State  of 
Tabasco  on  the  Gulf. 

The  capital  of  the  State  is  San  Cristobal,  which 
contains  a  population  of  7,649. 


85 

Among  the  notable  ancient  ruins  in  Chiapas  are  those 
of  Palenque,  and  with  the  exception  of  those  at  Milta, 
in  the  State  of  Oajaca,  the  most  remarkable,  perhaps, 
of  any  on  this  continent.  The  first  bishop  of  Chiapas 
was  Bartolomie  de  las  Casas,  renowned  for  his  humanity 
to  the  natives  of  the  country,  and  for  his  writings  relative 
to  the  events  of  his  day. 


COAJUJLA. 

Coajuila,  one  of  the  northern  frontier  States,  is 
bounded  north  by  Texas,  east  by  Texas  and  Neuvo 
Leon,  south  by  Neuvo  Leon  and  Zacatecas,  west  by 
Durango  and  Chihuahua.  This  thinly  inhabited  and 
neglected  State  formed  a  part  of  the  Mexican  province  of 
Texas,  until  by  victory  in  battle,  the  citizens  of  the  latter 
made  the  Rio  del  Norte  the  dividing  line  between  them 
and  Mexico. 

No  branch  of  industry  is  flourishing  in  this  State. 
There  are  some  good  agricultural  lands,  but  they  are 
quite  limited  in  extent,  and  the  production  is  at  present 
confined  to  corn,  wheat  and  beans,  sufficient  merely  to 
support  the  population.  The  vine  flourishes  and  is 
cultivated  to  some  extent.  The  trade  of  the  State  is 
principally  in  horses,  mules,  corn  and  wine. 

The  whole  State  lies  on  the  western  steeps  of  the 
Sierra  Madre  but  the  southern  part  especially  is  very 
mountainous  and  broken.  The  climate,  though  not  very 
equable,  is  healthy. 

In  other  times  the  mining  interests  of  this  State  were 
quite  important,  but  in  common  with  the  other  northern 


86 

frontier  States,  Coajuila  has  suffered  from  the  depre 
dations  of  the  Camanches,  Lipans  and  Apaches,  to  the 
ruin  even  of  this,  her  great  interest.  At  present  no 
mines  are  worked  in  the  State.  The  capital  and  principal 
town  of  the  State  is  Saltillo,  which  contains  20248 
inhabitants.  This  place  affords  quite  a  market  for 
serapes,  noted  for  their  fineness  of  texture  and  beautiful 
colors,  and  which  are  made  principally  by  the  women  of 
the  neighboring  country. 

There  is  also  located  in  Saltillo,  a  cotton  factory  called 
the  Ibernia.  It  has  1,300  spindles,  40  looms,  uses  1,300 
quintals  of  cotton  annually,  from  which  are  turned  out 
11,520  pieces  of  common  brown  sheetings  called  manta, 
valued  at  $4.50  per  piece.  The  raw  cotton  costs  at  the 
factory  21  cents  per  Ib.  The  employees  of  the  factory 
number  180;  the  annual  wages  amount  to  $19,200.  The 
total  cost  of  the  building  and  machinery  was  $91,500. 

Parras  is  a  town  of  some  importance.  It  contains 
8,730  inhabitants.  The  place  is  celebrated  for  its 
grapes  and  wine.  Monclova,  Fernando  de  Rosas,  and 
Buena  Vista  are  the  other  principal  places  of  note  in 
the  State. 


NUEVO    LEON. 

This  state, which  joins  Coajuila  on  the  south-east,  is 
by  the  present  constitution  of  the  republic  united  to  that 
state.  It  is  less  mountainous  than  Coajuila,  and  more 
available  for  agricultural,  mining  and  trading  purposes 
than  that  state.  The  proximity  of  Nuevo  Leon  to 
Brownsville  in  Texas,  and  Tampico  on  the  Gulf  gives 


87 

it  some  advantages  in  trade  and  commerce.  The  mines 
of  silver,  iron,  copper  and  lead, of  which  it  is  supposed 
there  are  an  abundance,  are  in  a  virgin  state,  having 
been  but  little  worked.  Nitrate  of  potash,  alabaster 
and  muriate  of  soda  are  also  found  in  considerable 
quantities. 


DURANGO. 


Durango  is  bounded  north  by  Chihuahua,  east  by 
Coahuila  and  Zacatecas,  south  by  Zacatecas  and  Jalisco, 
west  by  Sinaloa.  The  main  range  of  the  great  Cordil 
leras  passes  directly  through  the  centre  of  the  state,  and 
to  the  west  the  country  is  thoroughly  broken  up  by  the 
chains  and  spurs  of  the  Sierra  Madre.  The  eastern 
slopes  are' less  rugged,  and  more  available  land  for  agri 
cultural  purposes  is  found. 

The  climate  is  quite  healthy.     In  the  mountainous 
districts  the  temperature  is  cool,  while  in  the  valleys 
great  heat  prevails  during  a  part  of  the  year. 

The  productions  of  the -lands  are  principally  corn, 
wheat  and  frijoles :  sugar  cane,  cotton  and  coffee  are 
produced  in  small  quantities.  Durango  has  one  great 
source  of  wealth  in  horses,  mules,  sheep  and  horned 
cattle,  large  quantities  of  which  are  raised  annually. 
But  the  mines  of  this  state  must  be  its  chief  source  of 
wealth.  The  iron  ores  of  Cerro  del  Mercado  are  remark 
able.  They  are  of  two  distinct  classes — crystallized  and 
magnetic — and  both  contain  from  sixty  to  seventy-five 
per  cent,  of  pure  metal.  Silver  mines  are  abundant,  but 
they  have  been  improperly  worked,  and  many  districts 


88 

remain  entirely  unexplored.  The  principal  districts  in 
which  silver  mines  have  been  profitably  worked,  are 
Gavalines  Guavisamey  and  San  Dimas. 

There  are  five  cotton  factories  in  this  state  which  turn 
out  in  the  aggregate  60,208  pieces  of  mania  or  common 
brown  cotton  cloth  per  annum,  and  give  employment  to 
648  operatives. 

The  city  of  Durango  is  the  capital,  and  contains 
14,000  inhabitants. 

The  state  of  Durango  stands  among  the  first  of  the 
Mexican  states,  in  the  industry  and  intelligence  of  her 
people.  More  than  usual  attention  is  given  to  educa 
tion  ;  there  are  16  public  and  40  private  schools,  besides 
the  college  in  the  city  of  Durango. 

This  state,  like  those  on  the  north  of  it,  is  partially 
impoverished  by  the  hordes  of  savages  who  roam  through 
out  all  this  region,  making  war  upon  life,  property  and 
civilization. 

There  are  important  and  interesting  relics  of  antiquity 
in  this  state.  In  1838,  Don  Juan  Flores,  proprietor  of 
the  estate  San  Juan  de  Costa,  in  the  region  of  the  Bolson 
de  Mapimij  discovered  an  immense  cavern  in  the  moun 
tain,  around  the  walls  of  which  were  sitting  more  than 
a  thousand  Indian  corpses  in  a  state  of  perfect  preserva 
tion,  and  clad  in  mantles  woven  of  the  fibres  of  the 
bastard  aloe,which  is  indigenous  in  this  region. 


89 


GUANAJUATO. 


The  small  State  of  Guanajuato,  situated  in  the  heart 
of  the  Republic,  is  bounded  north  by  San  Luis  Potosi, 
east  by  Queretero,  south  by  Michoagan,  west  by  Jalisco. 

Two  unbroken  chains  of  mountains  run  through  the 
State.  The  one  on  the  north  is  known  as  the  Sierra 
Gordo,  and  that  of  the  south  as  the  Sierra  de  Guanaju 
ato.  The  fertile  valleys  among  the  Cordilleras  help  to 
give  an  agreeable  and  picturesque  appearance  to  the 
country.  The  climate  is  healthy  and  the  temperature 
agreeable.  The  agricultural  productions  of  this  State 
are  considerable.  They  consist  of  corn,  wheat,  barley, 
frijoles,  Chili  sugar-cane,  maguey,  which,  with  lumber 
for  building,  fruits,  vegetables,  medicinal  herbs,  &c.,  are 
estimated  at  the  value  of  $10,000,000  per  annum. 

Horses,  mules  and  horned  cattle  are  raised  in  consid 
erable  numbers. 

The  mines  of  this  State,  principally  silver,  are  cele 
brated  for  their  antiquity,  extent  and  richness.  The  prin 
cipal  mining  districts  are  Guanajuato,  La  Luz,  Monte  de 
San  Nicolas,  Santa  Rosa,  and  Santa  Anna,  San  Jose  de 
Iturbide,  San  Luis  de  la  Paz,  Xichu  and  Atargea.  For 
working  the  ores  there  are  32  haciendas,  all  of  which 
work  1,030  arastras. 

The  amount  of  silver  and  gold  coined  in  the  mint  of 
Guanajuato  from  1827  to  1855  was  $124,896,504. 


12 


90 


The  manufacturing  industry  of  the  State  may  be  esti 
mated  by  the  following  table,  published  among  the 
national  statistics  in  1857  : 


MANUFACTURES. 

ANNUAL    PRODUCT. 

VALUE. 

Oil 

6,900  arrobas 

.    $34200 

Aguadiente 

33,320  barrels 

503.200 

Starch 

4,170  arrobas 

6.255 

Carriages     . 

90 

9.000 

Tanned  Leather 

68  500  sides    . 

.    112.750 

Sole  Leather 

19,500      '• 

97.500 

Artificial  Flowers 

11,000  dozens 

5.502 

Blankets     . 

285,500 

428  850 

Bedsteads 

350 

1.400 

Deer  Skins 

80,000 

50.000 

Wheat  Flour     . 

315,000  arrobas 

•     157.750 

Brown  Cotton 

48,500  pieces 

145.500 

Rebosos 

57,200 

.      85.800 

Pielis  Curtidas 

50,000 

37.500 

Hats     . 

35,000 

.       16.875 

Saddles 

5,450 

43.600 

Wines               t 

80  barrels 

2.400 

Scrapes 

50,050 

200.200 

The  capital  of  the  State  is  the  city  of  Guanajuato,  the 
locality  of  which  is  peculiar  and  remarkable.  It  is  situ 
ated  in  a  deep  and  narrow  valley,  closely  hemmed  in  by 
high  and  rugged  mountains.  On  the  east  a  stream  rises, 
which  in  the  time  of  rain  swells  to  a  torrent,  and  courses 
through  the  city  among  the  houses,  and  empties  into  an 
arroyo  on  the  west,  which  has  its  source  among  the 
mountains,  in  which  are  located  the  principal  mines. 
The  streets  are  very  irregular  and  crooked,  and  there 
are  but  few  through  which  carriages  can  pass.  The 


91 

plaza  is  also  very  irregular,  there  being  scarcely  a  level 
spot  in  it.  There  are  many  fine  houses,  and  some 
notable  edifices,  such  as  the  Alhondiga  de  Granaditas,  the 
church,  the  mint,  the  government  palace,  and  the  thea 
tre.  There  is  but  one  entrance  to  the  city  for  vehicles, 
and  that  is  called  La  Canada  de  Marjftl.  The  population 
of  the  city  is  63,398. 


GUERRERO. 


This  State  lies  on  the  Pacific  Ocean,  which  bounds  it 
on  the  south  and  west,  on  the  north  the  States  of  Mich- 
oacan  and  Mexico,  and  on  the  east  Puebla. 

The  vegetation  of  this  State  is  varied  and  magnifi 
cent,  numerous  hills,  ravines,  bosques  and  barrancas  at 
short  intervals  display,  under  a  bright  sun,  a  diversified 
and  brilliant  landscape  unsurpassed  in  the  whole  repub 
lic.  The  climate  is  excessively  hot  and  not  very  healthy. 
The  productions  of  the  earth  are  universally  tropical. 

The  great  wealth  of  the  State  of  Guerrero,  consists  in 
its  inexhaustible  mineral  resources. 

In  Copper  and  Iron  this  State  is  peculiarly  rich  and 
excels  any  other  State  in  the  Republic. 

Recent  explorations  have  demonstrated  the  existence 
of  a  copper  district  along  the  valley  of  the  Zacatula  River, 
upward  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in  length,  and 
embracing  the  region  contiguous  to  the  river  for  that  dis 
tance,  which  for  richness,  extent  and  the  desirable  char 
acter  of  its  ores,  is  not  surpassed  by  probably  any 
copper  district  in  the  world. 


92 

The  occurrence  of  the  ores  and  their  characteristics 
are  described  to  be  the  same  as  in  the  copper  district 
of  Chili ;  and  the  capacity  of  the  Zacatula  copper  region 
is  said  to  be  fully  equal  to  that  of  Chili,  if  equally  devel 
oped,  although  from  the  latter,  there  is  now  annually 
exported  over  $10,000,000. 

Recently,  there  have  been  discoveries  of  placers  of 
gold,  and  it  is  thought  that  if  they  were  fully  developed, 
they  would  equal  in  richness  those  of  California. 

There  are  no  mining  operations  going  on  in  this  state. 

But  little  can  be  said  in  favor  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Guerrero.  They  are  mostly  Indians  of  indolent  habits 
and  but  very  little,  civilized.  Of  these  there  is  a  pecu 
liar  race  known  as  Pintos.  The  peculiarity  is  that  they 
are  spotted  all  over  with  dingy,  slate-colored  spots,  the 
body  being  of  a  tawny,  yellowish  hue.  The  river  Zaca 
tula  is  the  centre  of  the  Pinto  district. 

Acapulco,  a  small  safe  habor  on  the  Pacific  and  famous 
in  history,  is  in  this  state.  The  city  of  Guerrero  is  the 
capital  of  the  State. 

JALISCO. 

Jalisco,  which  is  a  large  state,  is  bounded  north  by 
Zacatecas,  Durango  and  Sinaloa,  east  by  Zacatecas, 
Guanajuato  and  Michoacan,  south  by  Michoacan  and 
Colima,  and  west  by  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Jalisco  is  one  of 
the  largest  and  most  important  states  in  the  Republic 
The  configuration  of  the  country  is  varied,  being  moun 
tainous  in  the  centre,  while  on  each  side  are  extensive, 
beautiful  and  fertile  plains.  The  river  Santiago  waters 
an  extensive  district. 


93 

The  climate  is  varied,  being  cold  in  Largos,  La  Barca 
and  Colotlan,  temperate  in  the  regions  of  Guadalajara 
and  Ezatlan,  hot  in  Autlan  and  Tepic,  and  variable  in 
Sayula.  The  natural  productions  of  this  state  are  very 
numerous  and  the  yield  is  extensive.  They  are  corn, 
frijoles,  barley,  cotton,  indigo,  coffee,  sugar-cane,  vanilla, 
and  tobacco.  Of  fruits  there  are  bananas,  plantains, 
oranges,  lemons,  figs,  chirimoyas,  pine -apples  &c.  &c. 
There  are  forests  of  the  red  tree,  cedar,  pine,  ash, 
mezquite,  white  wood,  Brazil  wood,  ebony,  &c  ,  &,c. 

Mining  was  formerly  a  great  industrial  pursuit  in  this 
State,  but  at  the  present  time  the  greater  portion  of  the 
mines  are  abandoned,  and  others  are  only  worked  on  a 
small  scale.  The  metals  produced  are  gold,  silver,  cop 
per  and  iron.  The  most  important  mining  districts  are 
Bolanos,  Comanja  and  Copala. 

The  total  coinage  of  this  State  at  the  mint  in  Guadal 
ajara,  from  1848  to  1854,  was  $4,027,490. 

San  Juan  de  los  Lagos,  a  town  of  6,000  inhabitants, 
is  celebrated  for  the  great  annual  fair  held  here  from 
the  6th  to  the  13th  of  December.  Visitors  are  attracted 
even  from  the  most  distant  parts  of  the  republic,  and 
the  general  gathering  is  very  large. 

Guadalajara  is  the  capital  of  the  State.  It  contains 
68,000  inhabitants,  and  it  is  one  of  the  most  important 
cities  in  the  republic.  The  people  are  generally  active 
and  industrious.  A  large  business  in  tanning  hides  is 
carried  on  here,  and  the  manufacture  of  the  best  kind  of 
saddles  is  extensive.  Large  quantities  of  rebosos  are 
made  in  this  city  and  sold  throughout  the  republic, 


94 

Tepic,  containing  9,000  inhabitants,  is  situated  in  the 
north-west  corner  of  the  State,  and  has  a  pretty  large 
trade. 

San  Bias,  the  only  port,  is  on  the  Pacific,  17  leagues 
west  of  Tepic, 


MIOHOACAN. 

This  State  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Jalisco  and 
Guanajuato,  east  by  Mexico,  south  by  Guerrero  and  the 
Pacific,  west  by  Jalisco  and  Colima.  It  is  one  of  the 
richest,  most  beautiful,  and  important  States  in  the  Mex 
ican  Republic.  Formerly  the  State  of  Guerrero,  which 
lies  on  the  Pacific,  was  included  within  the  limits  of 
Michoacan,  the  signification  of  which  word,  according 
to  some  interpretations,  is  "  country  of  fishermen." 
The  physical  configuration  of  Michoacan  is  much  diver 
sified  by  mountains  and  plains.  The  main  chain  of  the 
Cordilleras  passes  through  the  centre  of  the  State,  and 
yet  there  are  gentle  slopes,  and  beautiful,  fertile  plains, 
so  numerous  and  extensive  as  to  give  the  State  great 
agricultural  resources.  This  is,  in  fact,  the  leading 
branch  of  industry  among  the  inhabitants.  The 
temperature  is  varied,  but  the  climate  is  quite  healthy. 

The  agricultural  productions  are  very  numerous.  In 
the  district  of  Ario,  the  annual  production  of  corn  is 
estimated  at  188,000  fanegas  ;  frijoles,  1,420  do. ;  wheat, 
270,300  Ibs.  :  rice,  1,740,000  Ibs. ;  Chili,  3,000  arrobas  ; 
besides  a  large  quantity  of  sugar  and  panocha.  The 
indigo  plant  is  extensively  cultivated  in  this  district,  and 
the  annual  product  is  estimated  at  1,200  arrobas.  In  the 


95 

district  of  Patzcuaro  the  annual  production  of  corn  is 
estimated  at  139,260  fanegas  ;  frijoles,  723  do. ;  wheat, 
4,087,500  Ibs  ;  rice,  336,000  Ibs.;  chile,  780  arrobas  ; 
sugar,  23  000  do. ;  panocha,  5,600  cargas. 

In  the  State  of  Michoacan  are  several  sections  noted 
for  their  fruitfulness.  Among  these  is  the  valley  of 
"  Los  Reyes,"  which  is  devoted  exclusively  to  the  culti 
vation  of  sugar-cane  and  the  Chinese  mulberry-tree. 

The  raising  of  horses,  mules  and  horned  cattle  is  a 
great  source  of  wealth  in  the  districts  of  Ario,  Patzcuaro 
and  Jiquilpan. 

In  Morelia  and  Cuitzeo,  coarse  cotton  and  woolen 
fabrics  are  manufactured,  but  not  in  large  quantities.  In 
Zamora  silk  rebosos  are  made. 

There  are  four  flouring  mills  in  the  puebla  of  Jacona, 
and  large  quantities  of  augadiente  of  maguey  are  distilled 
at  Cotija  and  Sahuayo. 

There  are  numerous  and  rich  mining  districts,  but  the 
inhabitants  being  mostly  devoted  to  agriculture,  the  min 
ing  interest  has,  at  the  present  time,  but  little  attention. 
The  principal  metals  are  silver  mixed  with  gold,  silver 
mixed  with  copper,  cinnabar,  iron,  lead,  antimony, 
sulphur,  &c. 

Morelia  is  the  capital  of  the  State.  It  was  founded  in 
1541,  under  the  name  of  Valladolid,  in  honor  of  its 
founder,  the  Viceroy  D.  Antonio  de  Mendoza,  who  was 
born  in  Valladolid,  Spain.  In  1828,  by  a  decree  of  the 
State,  the  name  was  changed  to  Morelia,  in  honor  of 
the  patriot  chief  Morelos.  This  city  contains  25,000 
inhabitants. 


96 


MEXICO. 


The  State  of  Mexico,  considered,  from  its  industry, 
population  and  wealth,  the  first  in  the  Republic,  is 
bounded  north  by  Vera  Cruz  and  San  Luis  Potosi,  east 
by  Puebla  south  by  Guerrero,  west  by  Queretaro  and 
Michoacan.  It  is  divided  into  nine  districts  as  follows  : 
Huehulta,  Tula,  Tulancingo,  Texcoco,  Tlalnepantla, 
Toluca,  Cuernevaca,  Cuautla  and  Sultepec. 

This  State,  including  the  city  of  Mexico  district,  which 
will  have  separate  mention,  in  its  peculiar  topography 
and  physical  features  generally;  its  mountains  and 
volcanos,  its  lakes,  plains  and  valleys,  its  charming  views, 
varied  and  healthful  climate,  with  its  fertile  soil,  and 
abounding  productions  of  every  clime,  presents,  perhaps, 
the  most  interesting  region  of  country  in  the  world.  At 
Cuernevaca,  where  a  tropical  sun  brings  forth  tropical 
fruits,  we  see  the  peaks  of  Popocatepetl,  and  Ixtac- 
cecuatl,  not  more  than  60  miles  distant,  covered  with 
snow  as  eternal  as  the  heavens  above  them.  There  is 
every  variety  of  temperature  in  this  State  the  year 
round,  from  frigid  cold  to  torrid  heat,  and  the  productions 
of  the  earth  correspond  with  this  variety  of  temperature. 
In  the  high  mountains  we  have  the  forest  trees  of  Canada, 
while  at  the  base,  the  banana,  the  broad4eaf  palm,  the 
orange,  fig,  lemon,  cocoa-nut  and  pine- apple  abound. 
Corn  and  wheat  grow  on  the  hills  and  elevated  plains, 
while  sugar-cane,  cotton,  indigo  and  cotton  are  produced 
in  the  lower  valleys. 

In  this  inviting  region  the  conquering  Spaniards  first 
located  in  great  numbers,  and  here  commenced  that 


97 

system  of  plunder  which  has  never  ceased  for  more  than 
three  centuries,  and  which  has  sacrificed  the  blood  and 
toil  of  millions  of  the  aborigines  of  Mexico,  and  crushed 
out  of  their  souls  the  last  lingering*  spark  of  independ 
ence  and  hope  of  freedom. 

The  mines  in  this  state  are  numerous  and  rich.  The 
principal  metals  produced  are  gold,  silver,  lead,  iron,  and 
copper ;  also  alum,  magistral,  cinnabar,  &c.  The  most 
important  mining  localities  are  as  follows  :  in  the  dis 
tricts  of  Tula,  Zimapan,  Moro,  Pechuca,  Cardonal,  San 
Nicholas  and  Jacal.  In  the  districts  of  Tulancingo, 
Pachuca,  Real  del  Monte,  Santa  Rosa,  Capula  and  Ato- 
tonilco.  In  the  districts  of  Sultepec,  Temascaltepec  and 
Zacualpan.  .Of  all  the  places  named,  Pachuca  is  the 
most  famous  for  its  mines,  principally  that  known  by  the 
name  of  la  Rosario. 

The  industry  of  the  inhabitants  is  employed  in  the 
mines,  agriculture,  cutting  wood,  and  working  in  the 
same,  weaving  blankets,  rebasos,  handkerchiefs,  cotton 
and  woolen  cloths  ;  manufacturing  aguadiente,  sugar, 
panocha,  lime,  salt,  hats,  &c.,  &,c. 

Toiuca  is  the  capital  of  the  state.  It  contains  12,000 
inhabitants. 


OAJACA. 

The  state  of  Oajaca  is  bounded  north  by  Puebla  and 
Vera  Cruz,  east  by  Vera  Cruz  and  Chiapas,  south  by  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  west  by  Puebla.  This  state  has  a  sea- 
coast  on  the  Pacific  of  over  three  hundred  miles,  but 
throughout  this  entire  extent  of  ocean  boundary,  there 
is  no  port  open  to  foreign  commerce  except  Ventosa,  the 

western  terminus  of  the  Tehuantepec  route. 
13 


98 

In  its  geological  features,  Oajaca  is  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  Mexican  states,  while  the  salubrity  of  its 
climate  and  the  fertility  of  its  soil  render  it  one  of  the 
most  inviting  portions  of  the  world.  The  great  vailey 
of  Oajaca  lies  between  the  arms  of  the  great  Cordilleras, 
and  here  Cortez  located  his  vast  estate,  conferred  upon 
him,  with  the  title  of  marquis,  by  his  royal  master  in 
Spain.  A  portion  of  the  Isthmus  of  Tehuantepec  is 
within  the  limits  of  this  state.  There  are  extensive 
regions  which  appear  to  have  been  populated  in  ages 
past  by  a  numerous  people  considerably  advanced  in 
civilization.  But  these  regions  are  now  deserted  and 
desolate.  Such  of  the  aborigines  as  remain  at  various 
points  are  well  disposed,  and  under  judicious  manage 
ment  they  could  be  made  very  serviceable  in  reclaiming 
the  country. 

Some  of  the  most  interesting  antiquities  of  the  western 
continent  are  to  be  found  at  Oajaca. 

The  palace,  or  ancient  tombs,  at  Mitla,  are  the  most 
notable.  These  ancient  ruins  are  situated  near  the  vil 
lage  of  Miguitla,  and  their  sad  and  sombre  surroundings 
are  of  the  most  impressive  order. 

Like  other  favored  portions  of  Mexico,  the  yield  of 
agricultural  productions  of  Oajaca,  such  as  wheat  and 
corn,  with  coffee,  sugar-cane,  cotton,  indigo,  tropical 
fruits,  cocoa,  vanilla,  tobacco,  cochineal,  wax,  honey, 
&c.,  is  most  abundant.  The  forests  of  rare  and  valuable 
woods  are  also  extensive. 


99 

Statement  showing  the  aggregate  quantity  of  Cochineal  exported 
from  the  State  of  Oajacafrom  the  year  1758  to  1855,  and  the 
Value  thereof;  also,  for  the  years  1856,  1857,  and  1858. 


YEARS. 

LBS. 

VALUE. 

1758  to  1855 

58,519,145 

$117,028,623 

1856 

395,200 

418,205 

1857 

569,072 

427,019 

1858 

514,537 

288,338 

$118,162,185 

This  table  has  been  prepared  from  statistics  existing 
in  the  office  of  the  secretary  of  the  State  of  Oajaca,  and 
may  be  relied  upon  as  authentic. 

The  indigo  crop  of  the  department  of  Tehuantepec  is 
estimated  at  500  ceroons  of  175  Ibs.  each,  and  that  in 
the  valley  of  Tonala  at  600  ceroons  of  175  Ibs.  each, 
making  the  whole  indigo  crop  equal  to  192,500  Ibs.  The 
price  paid  to  planters  is  62Jc.  to  $1.00  per  Ib. 

The  State  of  Oajaca  is  said  to  possess  rich  mines  of 
gold  and  silver,  but  at  present  they  form  no  source  of 
wealth  to  the  state. 

The  city  of  Oajaca,  capital  of  the  state,  contains 
25,000  inhabitants. 


PUEBLA. 


The  State  of  Puebla  formerly  extended  entirely  across 
the  continent,  the  eastern  boundary  being  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  and  the  western  the  Pacific  Ocean.  But  recently 
the  limits  of  the  state  have  been  reduced,  and  its  present 
outlines  are  extremely  irregular.  It  is  bounded  on  the 
north  by  Mexico,  Tlaxcala,  and  Vera  Cruz,  east  by  Vera 
Cruz,  south  by  Oajaca,  Tiaxcala  and  Mexico. 


100 

This  state  is  thoroughly  diversified  by  mountains  and 
table-lands.  The  former  are  the  most  grand  and  impos 
ing  in  the  republic.  Near  the  eastern  border  are  the  Pic 
de  Orizaba  and  the  Coffre  de  Perote.  On  the  west  are 
Popocatapetl  and  Iztaccicuatl.  The  Sierra  de  Malinche, 
near  the  city  of  Puebla,  is  also  magnificent.  The 
climate  is  for  the  most  part  temperate  and  very  healthy. 
In  the  higher  districts  the  weather  is  wintry. 

The  table-lands  and  valleys  are  remarkably  fertile. 
They  yield  corn  and  wheat  in  great  abundance.  The 
State  of  Puebla  is  famous  for  the  fine  quality  of  its 
wheat,  and  such  is  the  feracity  of  the  soil  in  the  district 
of  Atlixco,  that  one  bushel  of  wheat  yields  twenty- 
five  bushels.  Barley  and  frijoles  are  also  extensively 
cultivated.  Sugar-cane  is  produced  to  a  moderate  ex 
tent.  No  finer  apples,  pears,  peaches,  oranges,  and  many 
other  varieties  of  Mexican  fruits,  can  be  found  in  the 
republic  than  those  which  fill  the  market  of  the  city  of 
Puebla. 

There  are  several  rich  mining  districts  in  this  state 
which  produce  a  mixture  of  silver,  gold,  and  copper,  but 
at  the  present  time  they  are  not  extensively  worked. 
Five  haciendas,  with  arastras,  ovens,  and  mortars  are  now 
in  operation. 

The  laboring  classes  of  the  states  of  Puebla  (abori 
gines),  are  very  industrious,  and  their  productions  are 
numerous  and  varied.  The  soap  made  in  this  state  is 
the  best  in  the  country.  There  is  also  much  earthen 
,and  crockery  ware  fabricated.  At  the  time  of  the  con 
quest  by  the  Spaniards,  these  people  were  skilled  in  the 
fabrication  of  a  species  of  earthenware,  which,  in  its 
beauty  of  design,  variety  of  colors,  and  quality  of  mate 
rial,  was  considered  equal  to  that  of  Florence. 


101 

The  flour  manufactured  in  this  state  is  superior,  and 
bears  a  high  reputation  throughout  the  neighboring 
states. 

The  city  of  Puebla  is  the  capital  of  the  state,,  and  con 
tains  70,000  inhabitants.  It  is  delightfully  located  on  a 
plain,  beautifully  laid  out,  and  altogether  presents  a  pe 
culiarly  pleasing  and  inviting  appearance.  The  climate 
is  salubrious  and  healthy,  the  temperature  being  about 
the  same  as  that  of  the  city  of  Mexico.  There  are  sev 
eral  cotton-factories  in  this  vicinity,  which  turn  out  con 
siderable  quantities  of  brown  cotton  cloth. 

The  Indian  town  of  Cholulu,  with  its  ancient  mound, 
or  pyramid,  is  six  miles  west  of  the  city  of  Puebla. 


QUERETARO. 


This  state  is  bounded  north  by  Guanajuato  and  San 
Luis  Potosi,  south  and  east  by  Mexico,  west  by  Micho- 
acan  and  Guanajuato.  It  is  a  small  state,  and  lies  en 
tirely  in  the  central  plateau  of  the  Cordillera,  and  is 
consequently  intersected  by  numerous  mountain  spurs 
and  elevated  hills.  The  plains  are  frequently  cut  up 
by  deep  barrancas,  rivers  and  streamlets.  The  soil  is 
very  productive  in  the  agricultural  districts  of  San  Juan 
del  Rio,  Queretaro,  Cadereyta,  Amealco,  Toliman  and 
Jalpan. 

Queretaro  is  remarkable  for  its  picturesque  scenery, 
and  the  beautiful  sites  of  its  cities,  haciendas,  and 
ranches. 

The  products  of  the  soil  are  similar  to  those  of  the 
other  states  on  the  central  plateau.  In  the  valleys  some 


102 

of  the  tropical  productions  are  found,  but  grain  and 
cattle  are  the  chief  resources  of  the  landowners.  In  the 
whole  state  there  are  124  haciendas,  or  plantations,  and 
392  ranches,  or  farms.  Very  thick  forests  are  seldom 
found,  and  many  sections  of  the  state  are  entirely  bare 
of  vegetation. 

The  only  mining  district  of  any  note  in  this  state  is 
that  of  El  Doctor,  in  the  district  of  Cadereyta.  These 
mines  were  once  famous,  but  now  they  are  considered 
of  little  consequence. 

The  industry  of  the  inhabitants,  after  agriculture,  con 
sists  principally  in  tanning  leather,  manufacturing  cloths, 
cassimeres,  carpets,  serepes,  blankets,  &,c.,  &c.  The 
goods  turned  out  by  the  looms  in  this  state  are  considered 
the  best  in  the  republic,  and  the  articles  above  enumer 
ated  form  the  principal  commerce  of  the  place. 

The  capital  of  the  state  is  Queretaro,  a  well-built  city 
of  50,000  inhabitants,  picturesquely  located  on  the  sum 
mits  and  sides  of  converging  hills  7.000  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea.  A  magnificent  and  enduring  evidence 
of  the  munificence  of  the  Viceroy,  the  Marquis  de  Valero 
del  Aguila,  is  found  in  the  noble  aqueduct,  two  miles 
long,  with  arches  ninety  feet  high,  spanning  a  plain  of 
meadow  land,  and  joining  a  tunnel  from  the  opposite 
hills,  thus  supplying  the  city  of  Queretaro  with  excel 
lent  water  from  a  distance  of  six  miles. 

The  treaty  of  peace  between  the  United  States  and 
Mexico  was  ratified  by  the  Mexican  Congress  in  the  city 
of  Queretaro,  in  1848. 


103 


SONORA. 

Sonora  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Arizona,  east  by 
Chihuahua,  south  by  Sinaloa  and  the  Gulf  of  California, 
west  by  the  Gulf  of  California. 

The  physical  configuration  of  all  this  region  of  country 
is  peculiar.  Lofty,  rugged,  barren  mountains,  coursing 
in  every  direction  across  this  state,  rise  abruptly  out  of 
barren  plains.  In  proportion  to  its  great  area,  the  state 
of  Sonora  furnishes  but  little  land  fit  for  cultivation. 
The  agricultural  districts  are  confined  to  the  valleys  of 
the  Yaqui,  Mayo,  Sonora,  San  Miguel  and  San  Ignacio 
rivers.  The  valley  of  the  Yaqui  is  the  most  extensive 
and  fertile.  All  the  others  are  quite  limited  in  extent, 
but  they  all  produce  abundantly  of  the  cereals  and  fruits, 
and,  in  the  aggregate,  Sonora  would  support  a  larger 
population  than  the  casual  observer  might  be  inclined  to 
believe. 

The  staple  productions  are  wheat,  corn,  barley  and 
frijoles.  The  principal  fruits  are  oranges,  lemons,  figs, 
grapts  and  peaches.  Sonora  will  eventually  be  a  wine- 
producing  country. 

There  is  a  great  scarcity  of  timber  in  this  state,  and 
in  some  districts  it  is  difficult  even  to  obtain  sufficient 
fuel  for  household  purposes. 

The  raising  of  horses,  mules,  horned  cattle  and  sheep, 
has  always  been  one  of  the  principal  occupations  of  the 
inhabitants.  The  breed  of  mules  is  very  superior,  but 
the  horses  and  cattle  are  of  an  inferior  order. 

The  mines  of  Sonora  have  a  peculiar  reputation- 
something  bordering  on  the  mysterious.  The  geological 
evidences  of  mines,  as  manifested  on  the  surface,  are 


104 

•abundant,  more  so  perhaps,  than  those  of  any  other 
state  in  the  republic.  Practical  experience  has  also 
demonstrated  the  existence  of  silver  mines  of  extraor 
dinary  richness.  How  enduring  or  extensive  these  veins 
may  be  has  not  been  thoroughly  proved.  The  silver 
mines  at  Alamos,  in  the  southern  part  of  the  state,  have 
been  the  most  extensively  worked,  and  they  continue  to 
yield  abundantly.  There  are  other  mines  of  note,  such 
as  San  Juan  de  Sonora  Bacuachi,  Aritunes,  Babicariora, 
Batuco,  Santa  Theresa,  Sahuaripa,  la  Trinadad,  &c. 
There  is  but  little  attention  paid  to  mining,  however,  in 
Sonora  at  the  present  time.  Mining  in  this  region 
always  was  conducted  in  the  most  primitive  style  ;  gen 
erally  speaking,  it  has  been  but  little  more  than  surface 
scratching.  When  water  is  reached,  or  a  depth  that 
renders  the  labor  more  than  ordinarily  difficult  and  la 
borious,  the  mine  is  abandoned.  For  this  and  other 
reasons,  a  great  many  mines  have  been  abandoned  in 
Sonora.  They  are  to  be  found  all  over  the  state.  '  Sil 
ver  is  the  principal  metal  sought  after,  though  gold  is 
found  in  considerable  quantities  in  placers  and  quartz 
veins.  Copper,  lead  and  iron  can  be  produced  in  great 
abundance. 

The  people  of  the  United  States  have  an  exaggerated 
opinion  of  Sonora.  The  state  has  its  good  qualities, 
but  it  also  has  its  drawbacks,  which  have  not  been  duly 
estimated.  One  of  the  most  necessary  articles  of  life, 
water,  is  exceedingly  scarce.  Not  an  ear  of  corn,  a 
spear  of  grain,  or  a  fruit,  can  be  produced  without  irri 
gation.  A  large  portion  of  the  best  mining  districts  in 
the  state  are  totally  unavailable  for  the  want  of  water. 
All  branches  of  industry  suffer  from  this  want.  The 
rainy  season  prevails  during  July,  August,  and  September, 


105 

but  even  then  the  rains  are  light  and  precarious,  the 
clay  strata  are  wanting,  and  the  soil  holds  no  water.  The 
streams  are  intermittent,  i.  e.,  they  appear  and  disappear 
throughout  their  courses  at  intervals  Travelers  through 
the  long  and  dreary  wastes  of  this  region,  are  in  many 
instances  dependent  on  the  natural  water-tanks  in  the 
mountains,  called  tenajas.  Mr.  Dunbar,  in  his  published 
letters  upon  Sonora  and  Arizona,  thus  speaks  of  the 
country  and  its  natural  reservoirs: 

"I  cannot  leave  this  portion  of  the  country  without 
referring  to  the  tenajas,  or  tanks,  which  are  found  in  the 
mountains  of  the  volcanic  districts  of  Sonora  and  Arizona, 
and  upon  which  those  who  traverse  these  dreary  wilds 
are  mainly  dependent  for  water.  In  the  universal 
upheaving  and  rending  of  rocks  and  mountains,  natural 
reservoirs  are  formed,  capable,  in  some  instances,  of 
holding  thousands  of  gallons.  In  the  season  of  showers 
they  are  filled,  and  when  full,  afford  the  weary  and 
thirsty  traveler  refreshment  indescribably  grateful.  As 
the  hot  and  dry  season  advances,  the  water  evaporates, 
and  deteriorates  in  quality  until  it  becomes  thick  and 
filthy,  so  much  so  as  to  be  excessively  repulsive  even 
to  a  famishing  stomach.  The  two  principal  routes  from 
Sonora  to  California  are  supplied  with  water  from  these 
sources,  and  when  they  fail,  the  journey  cannot  be  made 
except  at  great  hazard,  there  being  one  stretch  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty  miles  without  water.' 

"  It  is  the  peculiar  locality  of  these  tanks  that  renders 
them  interesting.  They  are  usually  found  near  the  base 
of  mountain  gorges,  where  the  rocks  on  every  side  are 
piled  one  upon  the  other  to  the  region  of  the  clouds,  in 
the  wildest  confusion,  giving  the  imagination  full  scope 
in  discerning  the  outlines  of  domes,  turrets,  castles, 
14 


106 

churches,  colossal  statuary,  and  all  sorts  of  monsters. 
When  all  nature  is  at  rest,  the  power  of  silence  in  these 
mountain  recesses  is  awfully  impressive,  and  at  twilight 
the  earthly  grandeur  of  the  scene  is  such  as  to  affect 
the  hardest  natures.  I  never  saw  a  merry  evening  camp 
at  the  tenajas. 

"  Desert  country  as  it  is,  there  is  considerable  interest 
attached  to  it,  but  it  requires  the  whipcord  sinews  and 
power  of  endurance  of  a  Bedouin  Arab  to  find  and 
enjoy  it. 

"  Sonora  is  the  land  of  romance,  the  land  of  tragedy,  the 
dream-land  of  the  filibuster.  It  is  overrated,  and  yet  riot 
so  much  overrated  as  misunderstood  The  mines  con 
stitute  the  principal  resource  of  the  state,  and  they  have 
been  developed  only  to  a  very  limited  extent,  and  quite 
imperfectly.  Its  facilities  for  the  raising  of  cattle  and 
horse.s  may  be  considered  extensive,  while  its  agricultu 
ral  resources,  in  proportion  to  the  great  area  of  country, 
are  very  limited." 

The  population  of  the  state,  according  to  the  Mexican 
estimate,  is  147,000.  This  is  doubtless  above  the  truth. 
The  inhabitants  of  Sonora,  in  honesty,  industry  and 
energy,  may  be  considered  superior  to  those  of  any  other 
state  of  the  republic.  As  laborers,  the  Opata,  Yaqui 
and  Papago  Indians,  with  the  mixed  breeds,  are  well 
adapted  to  the  peculiar  necessities  of  the  country  in  de 
veloping  its  resources. 

But  Sonora  is  a  land  of  mourning.  Apaches,  revolu 
tions  arid  filibuster  expeditions  have  scourged  the  people 
until  the  moan  of  despair  comes  to  our  ears.  Mines, 
haciendas,  and  ranches  in  great  numbers,  are  aban 
doned,  and  the  industry  of  the  state  is  completely  para 
lyzed. 


107 

• 

Hermosillo,  a  city  of  10,000  inhabitants,  beautifully 
located  in  the  interior,  is  the  capital. 

Guaymas,  the  only  port,  is  located  on  the  Gulf  of 
California,  and  contains  about  5,000  inhabitants.  The 
harbor  of  Guaymas  is  very  good,  and  before  many  years 
it  will  be  of  great  commercial  importance. 


8INALOA. 


Sinaloa  is  bounded,  north  by  Sonora,  east  by  Chi 
huahua  and  Durango,  south  and  west  by  the  Pacific 
Ocean.  This  state  comprehends  a  strip  of  country  lying 
between  the  grand  Cordilleras  of  the  Sierra  Madre  and 
the  Pacific  Ocean.  The  eastern  section  is  quite  moun 
tainous,  while  that  portion  bordering  on  the  Pacific  is  a 
series  of  plains,  watered  by  the  rivers  Fuerte,  Sinaloa, 
Culiacan,  Piastla,  &c.  The  climate  is  generally  hot. 
The  natural  productions  of  the^soil  are  numerous  and 
abundant.  They  consist  of  corn,  frijoles,  coffee,  rice, 
sugar-cane, tobacco,  plantains,  oranges,  and  pine-apples; 
Brazil  and  other  fine  woods,  in  considerable  quantities, 
are  exported  from  the  port  of  Mazatlan.  In  1854, 
82,000  quintals  were  exported. 

Sinaloa  is  likewise  famous  for  its  mines,  especially  of 
silver.  In  the  miner  ale  del  Rosario,  which  pertains  to  the 
district  of  Mazatlan,  there  exist  mines  of  gold,  silver, 
platina,  copper,  lead,  verdigris,  &c.  At  the  present  time 
the  mines  of  silver  and  gold  in  this  district  are  only 
worked  to  a  moderate  extent.  There  are  other  sections 
of  the  state  noted  for  rich  mines.  In  Culiacan,  there  is 


108 

• 

a  mint  which  from  1846  to  1855,  coined  in  silver  and 
gold  the  sum  of  $9, '252,736.  Culiacan,  the  capital  of 
the  state,  contains  10,000  inhabitants. 
•  Mazatlan  is  the  only  port.  It  has  improved  consider 
ably  of  late  years,  which  is  more  than  can  be  said  of  any 
other  town  in  the  republic  of  Mexico.  The  harbor  is 
not  very  good,  but  the  location  commands  the  trade  of 
an  extensive  back  country. 


SAN    LUIS    POTOSI. 


This  state  is  bounded  north  by  Zacatecas,  Coajuila  and 
Tamaulipas  ;  east  by  Coajuila  and  Tamaulipas;  south 
by  Queretaro,  Guanajuata  and  Zacatecas  ;  west  by  Zaca 
tecas.  The  western  portion  of  the  state  is  quite  moun 
tainous,  but  the  Cordillera  is  somewhat  broken  toward 
Tamaulipas,  and  a  low,  hilly  country,  which  is  not  very 
healthy,  stretches  out  toward  the  south-east. 

Agriculture  forms  one  of  the  principal  branches  of  in 
dustry,  and  an  abundant  yield  is  obtained  of  corn,  wheat, 
barley,  frijoles,  &c.  The  raising  of  horses,  mules  and 
cattle,  as  in  Durango  and  Chihuahua,  is  followed  exten 
sively.  Considerable  attention  is  given  to  the  manufac 
ture  of  woolen  and  cotton  fabrics.  Glass,  leather,  pottery 
and  metallic  wares  are  also  made  in  large  quantities,  and 
a  valuable  traffic  is  carried  on  in  foreign  goods  with  the 
port  of  Tampico  and  the  neighboring  states,  as  San  Luis 
Potosi,  the  capital  and  chief  town  of  the  state,  is  favor 
ably  located  for  this  kind  of  business. 

This  state  has  its  full  share  of  the  various  kinds  of 


109 

mines  that  abound  in  other  states  of  the  republic.  The 
minerals  of  Catorce  is  one  of  the  most  famous  in  the 
whole  country.  The  town  of  Catorce  is  situated  upon 
the  top  of  a  bleak  and  rugged  mountain  8,788  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea.  The  mines  are  of  silver.  The 
mine  of  San  Augustine  gave  metals  that  yielded  $1,000 
to  the  carga  (300  Ibs.).  The  mine  of  Senor  Zavala  pro 
duced  a  species  of  earth  worth  $1  00  per  pound,  and 
$7,000,000  were  obtained  from  it.  The  mines  of  San 
Geronimo  and  Santa  Anna  have  produced  $6,0(10,000 ; 
La  Luz,  during  the  last  year  it  was  worked,  $2,000,000; 
Medellin,  more  than  $4,000,000.  According  to  Hum- 
boldt,  the  minerale  de  Cartoce  has  produced,  one  year 
with  another,  three  to  four  millions  of  dollars. 

San  Luis,  the  capital  of  the  state,  contains  35,000 
inhabitants.  The  mint  located  here  coined,  in  1855, 
$1,849,794. 


110 


TLASCALA. 


The  small  State  of  Tlascala  forms  a  notch  in  the  State 
of  Puebla,  which  surrounds  it  on  every  side  except  the 
west,  where  the  State  of  Mexico  forms  the  boundary. 

No  portion  of  the  Mexican  confederacy  has  a  more 
interesting  history  than  that  of  Tlascala.  The  Spaniards^ 
on  their  arrival,  found  it  an  independent  republic,  and 
bidding  defiance  to  the  power  of  Montezuma.  In  obedi 
ence  to  their  instinctive  hatred  of  that  monarch  and  his 
people,  the  Tlascalans  joined  Cortes,  and  took  an  impor 
tant  part  in  the  conquest  of  Mexico.  Indeed,  without 
their  powerful  aid,  Cortes  would  not  have  been  success 
ful, 

In  remembrance  of  the  assistance  thus  furnished  by 
the  Tlascalans,  the  Spaniards  erected  their  country  into 
a  distinct  province,  with  certain  privileges,  and  it  thus 
remained  until  1 824,  since  which  period  it  has  been  dis 
trict,  territory  and  state,  the  latter  degree  having  been 
conferred  by  the  constitution  under  Comonfort. 

Tlascala  comprehends  a  superficial  extent  of  400  square 
leagues.  It  contains  1  city,  109  villages,  18  settlements, 
168  haciendas,  94  ranchos  or  small  farms,  8  grist-mills, 
2  iron-works  and  1  woolen  factory.  The  climate  is 
salubrious  and  healthy.  The  country  is  diversified  with 
mountains,  table-lands  and  valleys.  The  Sierra  de  la 
Malintzin,  which  is  very  high,  has  a  particularly  sacred 
place  in  Tlascalteca  mythology,  and  there  is  upon  its 
crest,  when  viewed  from  a  certain  position,  that  which 
resembles  a  human  body  lying  in  sepulture  and  par 
tially  covered  with  a  shroud.  At  times,  the  clouds, 
illuminated  with  electricity,  hang  over  this  mountain, 
adding  much  to  the  impressive  grandeur  of  the  scene. 


Ill 

The  numerous  relics  of  antiquity  found  in  this  State 
are  very  interesting. 

The  cereals  are  principally  cultivated,  though  in  the 
valleys  the  products  of  hot  countries  are  found.  Mines 
of  silver,  copper  and  lead  are  moderately  worked. 

The  ancient  town  of  Tlascala  is  the  capital.  There 
are  but  4,000  or  5,000  inhabitants  remaining  within  its 
ancient  limits. 

TAMAULIPAS. 

The  State  of  Tamaulipas,  called  in  the  time  of  the 
Spaniards,  the  Province  of  New  Sandanter,  extends  from 
22°  14'  4"  N.  lat.,  to  27°  30'  N.  lat.,  and  from  long.  1° 
39'  3",  to  long.  2°  east  of  Mexico. 

Its  limits  are,  on  the  north,the  United  States  (the  Rio 
Bravo  forming  the  boundary  line),  on  the  northwest,  the 
Departments  of  Coahuila,  and  Neuvo  Leon,  on  the  west 
and  southwest,  San  Luis  Potosi ;  on  the  south,  Vera 
Cruz,  and  on  the  east,  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

Productions. 

Tamaulipas  produces  cotton,  rice,  sugar-cane,  corn, 
frijoles,  barley,  sweet  potatoes,  &c.,  &c,  also  tropical 
fruits  in  abundance.  Vanilla  is  very  extensively  culti 
vated  by  the  French  colony  about  half  way  between 
Tampico  and  Vera  Cruz. 

Horses,  mules  and  cattle  are  raised  in  great  numbers, 
and  driven  to  different  parts  of  the  republic  for  sale. 


112 


Mines. 

Of  late  years  the  mining-  interest  has  been  almost  en 
tirely  abandoned,  and  few  mines  are  at  present  being 
worked.  In  St.  Nicholas  there  are  twenty-five  aban 
doned  mines,  and  four  in  operation.  The  product  of 
these,  one  year  with  another,  is  two  hundred  marks  of 
silver  and  twenty  thousand  pounds  of  lead.  The  average 
value  of  a  mark  of  silver  is  $8  50. 

In  Mizachuana  are  four  abandoned  mines,  in  one  of 
which  is  found  alabaster. 

In  Bustamente  are  twelve  abandoned  mines — eight  of 
silver,  one  of  copper,  and  three  of  lead. 

It  is  supposed  that  the  silver  mines  were  very  rich, 
from  the  amount  of  the  tithes  or  duties  paid  to  the  Span 
ish  crown. 

In  Villagrau  are  abandoned  mines  of  gold  and  silver. 
Not  far  from  this  place  are  found  seams  of  coal,  which 
have  never  been  worked. 

Near  Tampico  is  found  very  transparent  alabaster, 
also  jasper,  and,  at  a  short  distance,  slate  in  great  abun 
dance. 

Extensive  salt-works  are  found  near  Soto  La  Marina, 
both  natural  and  artificial,  from  which  there  are  generally 
taken  out  about  ten  thousand  "  cargas  "  yearly — 3,000,000 
Ibs. 

The  value  of  cattle  and  agricultural  products  of  the 
soil  of  Tamaulipas,  for  the  consumption  of  its  inhabitants, 
and  that  remitted  to  other  parts  of  the  republic,  in  the 
purchase  of  articles  of  importation,  may  be  calculated  as 
follows  : 


113 


Home  productions  consumed $1,429,451 

Home  productions  exported  to  other  parts  of  the  republic 128.536 

Importations  from  other  parts  of  the  republic  for  consumption 698,792 

Foreign  importations  for  consumption 1,156,568 


Interior  Navigation. 


Elvers. 

Depth  in  feet. 

Aggregate 
miles. 

9 

5 

4 

3 

2 

The  river  of  Tampico  to  Tamsunchal  

mi. 
117 

mi. 
47 
21 
18 
32 

mi. 
32 
10 
26 

mi. 
39 
26 
31 

mi. 
63 

47 
52 

298 
104 
127 
32 
91 
65 

Into  it  flows  the  river  Tamui 

Also  the  San  Juan  

Also  the  Tancialot  

Also  the  Tamesin  

91 

Lake  del  Chairel  

65 

Total  miles  

117 

209 

133 

96 

162 

717 

Foreign  Commerce  of  Tampico. 

The  foreign  trade  of  Tampico  during  the  year  1856 
was  as  follows : 

Total  number  of  vessels  from  all  foreign  nations  entered,  136. 

Total  value  of  inward  cargoes $2,845,091 

Total  value  of  outward  cargoes 4,562,837 


Total  foreign  trade $7,407,928 


Total  number  of  American  vessels  included  in  the 
above,  34,  with  an  aggregate  of  4,115  tons. 

Value  of  inward  cargoes , $653,451 

Value  of  outward  cargoes  613,349 

Total  trade  in  American  vessels '. $1,266,800 

Total  number  of  British  vessels  20,  aggregate  tonnage 
not  ascertained;    of  these,  12  belonged  to  the  British 
17 


114 

Royal  Mail  Steam-ship  Company,  and  8  were  sailing 
vessels. 

Total  value  of  inward  cargoes $    888,625 

Total  value*  of  outward  cargoes 3,7 1 1,353 


Total  trade  in  British  vessels $4,599,978 

Total  number  of  French  vessels  14,  aggregate  tonnage 
2,234  tons. 

Total  value  of  inward  cargoes $564,500 

Total  value  of  outward  cargoes 70,000 

Total  trade  in  French  vessels $634,500 

Total  number  of  Spanish  vessels  T,  aggregate  tonnage 
1,112  tons. 

Total  value  of  inward  cargoes $125,625 

Total  value  of  outward  cargoes 28,000 


Total  value  of  trade  in  Spanish  vessels. $153,625 

Prices  at  Tampico.     Consular  Returns,  Sept.  30£A,  1857. 

Fustic,  per  ton  $12  50 

Hides,                -  3    50  each. 

Sarsaparilla.  -  0     64  per  Ib. 

Wool,  inferior  quality,  019      " 

Jalap,  0  41       " 

Ystle,  or  Mexican  hemp,  similar 

to  Manilla,  0     5      " 

Goat-skins,  per  doz.,  6  00 

Horns,  1  50  per  100. 

Vanilla,  per  1000  pods,  $10  to  $50  00 

Shipments  of  specie  from  Tampico,  per  British  steam 
ers,  for  the  year  ending  September  30,  1857,  $3,402,411. 


115 

The  residue  of  the  trade  at  the  port  of  Tampico  during 
1856  was  distributed  between  Sardinia,  Hamburg,  Hol 
land,  and  the  city  of  Mexico. 

With  the  certainty  of  a  weekly  steamer  from  an  Amer 
ican  port,  instead  of  the  casual  communication  which 
now  exists,  the  principal  amount  of  trade  represented  by 
the  above  figures  will  be  diverted  in  that  direction,  and 
Tampi-co  will  soon  be  able  to  export,  in  exchange,  the 
numerous  productions  and  wealth  of  that  vast  interior, 
and  supply  the  wants  of  her  inhabitants  with  importa 
tions  from  the  United  States.  Its  increased  activity, 
therefore,  only  depends  upon  the  additional  facilities 
that  will  be  afforded  by  regular  and  frequent  steam  com 
munication. 

Tampico  is  the  second  port  in  point  of  commercial  im 
portance  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  not  only  from  the  great 
natural  resources  of  the  State  of  Tamaulipas,  to  which 
it  belongs,  but  from  the  fact  that  it  is  the  principal  port 
of  egress  and  ingress  for  the  trade  of  several  of  the  rich 
est  States  of  the  republic  in  the  mineral  and  agricultural 
productions.  It  is  supported  by  the  trade  of  San  Luis 
Potosi,  Zacatecas,  Nuevo  Leon,  Jalisco,  &c.,  forming  an 
immense  back  country,  sufficient  to  build  up  and  make 
Tampico  eventually  a  great  commercial  city.  From  that 
section  of  the  country  are  dispatched  the  large  conductas 
of  specie  to  Tampico  for  shipment  to  Europe  by  the 
English  steam-packet. 

Matamoras. 

The  port  and  city  of  Matamoras,  comprehended  within 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  State  of  Tamaulipas,  are  situated 
on  the  right  bank  of  the  Rio  Bravo  del  Norte,  in  latitude 


116 

25°  53'  2"  N.,  and  longitude  1°  32'  28"  east  of  the  meri 
dian  of  Mexico,  arid  contains  11,233  inhabitants. 

Imports  into  the  port  of  Matamoras  consist  chiefly  of 
breadstuffs,  spices,  provisions,  and  cloths  from  New  Or 
leans  ;  exports  of  specie,  hides,  and  wool  In  1844  there 
entered  33  vessels  with  an  aggregate  of  2,054  tons, 
floating  inward,  cargoes  of  the  value  of  $326,600,  and 
outward  about  an  equal  amount.  Two-thirds  of  all  com 
mercial  operations  at  this  port  are  under  the  American 
flag.  In  1841,  commercial  movements  with  the  United 
States  reached  the  sum  of  $4,600,000— $2,400,000  for 
inward,  and  $2,200,000  for  outward  cargoes.  Of  the 
imports,  British  merchandise  imported  in  American  bot 
toms  reached  $1,000,000,  while  American  produce  and 
manufactures  amounted  to  only  $500,000.  French  mer 
chandise  in  American  bottoms  figured  as  high  as $260,000, 
and  German  $216,000.  Cotton  cloths  (mostly  British) 
reached  in  this  trade  $1,027,200. 

The  export  trade  to  the  United  States,  during  this 
year,  covered  $1,800,000  in  specie,  and  over  $400,000  in 
hides. 

Matamoras  is  situated  on  the  Rio  Grande,  opposite 
Brownsville  in  Texas,  and  a  few  miles  above  Brazos  de 
St.  lago,  at  which  place  the  United  States  and  Mexican 
mail  steamers  will  touch.  The  commerce  of  the  place 
is  increasing  rapidly,  especially  that  which  relates  to  the 
interchange  of  commodities  with  the  United  States.  It 
only  needs  postal  facilities  and  facilities  for  transporta 
tion  to  swell  this  commerce  to  an  immense  amount. 

The  best  feeling  exists  between  the  Americans  and 
the  Mexicans.  When  the  bandit  Cortinas  attacked  the 
city  of  Brownsville,  the  military  commandante  of  Mata 
moras  dispatched  one  hundred  of  his  troops  to  the  assist- 


m 

• 

ance  of  the  Americans,  and  four  of  the  Mexican  soldiers 
fell  in  battle,  defending  American  citizens.  Such  an  ex 
ample  of  magnanimity  and  good  feeling  should  not  be 
passed  over  in  silence,  but  ought,  in  fact,  to  be  appropri 
ately  noticed  by  our  government. 


TABASCO. 


The  State  of  Tabasco  is  situated  between  16°  50'  N. 
latitude,  and  18°  39'  N.,  and  5°  11'  and  T  10'  longitude  E. 
from  Mexico. 

Its  limits  are,  on  the  north  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  which 
washes  the  coast  a  distance  of  ninety-six  miles  ;  on  the 
east  Yucatan  ;  on  the  south  Chiapas,  and  on  the  west 
the  Isthmus  of  Tehuantepec. 

The  State  at  present  (besides  rice,  maize,  and  frijoles, 
which  are  extensively  cultivated),  furnishes  nearly  the 
whole  of  the  republic  with  cocoa,  out  ot  which  the  uni 
versal  chocolate  is  made.  FVom  the  latest  dates  relative 
to  the  cocoa  trade  in  this  state,  the  annual  production 
amounts  to  8000  bales,  which,  at  200  pounds  to  the  bale, 
gives  a  total  of  1,600,000.  At  the  average  price  of  30 
cents  per  pound,  this  yields  an  income  of  $480,000  per 
annum.  Judging  from  the  progressive  increase  of  de 
mand  and  production,  the  amount  will,  in  a  few  years, 
reach  30,000  or  40,000  bales. 

Tabasco  yields  tropical  productions  in  abundance. 
Coffee,  sugar-cane,  pepper,  tamarinds,  arrow-root,  pal 
metto,  cotton,  tobacco,  &c.,  are  cultivated.  Indigo  and 
vanilla  grow  wild  in  the  forests,  which  abound  in  ma 
hogany,  iron-wood,  cedar,  and  caoutchouc. 

The  tobacco  grown  here  is  celebrated  for  its  fine  fla- 


118 

vor,  and  with  a  little  more  skill  in  cultivation  and  drying 
might  compete  with  that  of  Havana. 

Dye-woods  of  various  descriptions  are  also  produced 
and  shipped  in  large  quantities  from  this  state,  particu 
larly  the  logwood — palo  de  tinte. 

The  soil  and  climate  of  Tabasco  are  peculiarly  adapted 
to  the  sugar-cane,  and  although  it  has  not  been  very  ex 
tensively  cultivated  until  within  the  last  four  or  five 
years,  the  inhabitants  are  beginning  to  exhibit  such  zeal 
and  activity  in  its  production,  that  a  most  rapid  annual 
augmentation  must  take  place  in  the  manufacture  of 


sugar. 


In  addition  to  the  articles  enumerated  are  many  others, 
of  no  less  importance,  produced  in  this  state,  that  might 
be  mentioned. 

Tabasco  is  particularly  favored  by  nature,  as  well  for 
the  natural  facilities  of  internal  communication,  as  for  her 
great  agricultural  resources.  In  the  former,  she  is  prob 
ably  superior  to  any  section  of  territory  of  the  same 
extent  on  the  American  continent.  She  possesses  many 
fine  navigable  rivers — in  fact  the  whole  territory  is  trav 
ersed  by  those  great  natural  highways — extending  far 
into  the  adjoining  departments,  which  are  only  awaiting 
the  necessary  spirit  of  enterprise  on  the  part  of  the  in 
habitants  to  complete  the  development  of  her  vast  fields 
of  natural  resources,  commercial  wealth,  and  national 
prosperity. 

San  Juan  Bautista  is  not  much  inferior  to  Tampico  in 
point  of  situation  and  other  commercial  advantages  ;  for, 
beside  being  the  commercial  depot  of  the  whole  State 
of  Tabasco  and  Chiapas,  it  enjoys  a  large  trade  with 
Oaxaca,  Tehuantepec,  Yucatan,  &c.,  &c.,  which  will  be 
greatly  increased  if  the  people  can  once  be  awakened  to 


119 

the  importance  of  turning  to  account  the  great  advan 
tages  and  facilities  offered  them  by  nature,  for  the 
exchange  of  commercial  intercourse  with  those  places 
and  the  United  States.  The  principal  foreign  trade  is  at 
present  carried  on  between  Tabasco  and  Havana.  This 
trade  only  awaits  the  establishment  of  a  more  regular 
and  frequent  communication  with  the  United  States,  to 
be  diverted  in  that  direction,  when  the  people  of  Mexico 
will  naturally  see  the  value  of  their  productions  in  the 
United  States,  the  readiness  with  which  they  can  be  dis 
posed  of,  and  the  value  and  usefulness  of  the  exchanges 
they  can  command.  Tabasco  is  now  obliged  to  receive 
her  foreign  supplies  from  Havana,  at  much  higher  prices 
than  would  buy  them  at  first  hand.  She  likewise  has 
to  pay  hard  dollars  in  exchange,  as  Cuba  affords  a  mar* 
ket  only  for  a  limited  number  of  articles,  her  productions 
being  more  or  less  of  a  similar  kind  to  those  peculiar  to 
Mexico. 

Principal  Towns. 

1.  San  Juan   Bautista,  capital  of  the  state,  is  situated 
on  the  left  bank  of  the  river  Grijalva,  in  IT  40'  N.  lati 
tude,  and  1°  4'  46"  longitude  E.  of  the  city  of  Mexico  ; 
621  miles  from  Mexico ;  population  5,500. 

2.  Conduacan,  on  the  river  of  the  same  name;  popu 
lation  3,220. 

3.  Santiago  de  Teapa,  population  1,346. 

4.  Macuspana,  population  700. 

Bars. 

The  bar  of  Tabasco  consists  of  two  channels  or  en 
trances.     The  north-east  channel  is  situated  between  the 


120 

Point  of  Barlovento  and  the  island  of  Buey  Chico.  It  is 
1500  yards  wide,  with  about  nine  feet  water  on  the 
bar. 

In  the  other  channel,  between  the  Buey  Chico  and  an 
island  (name  unknown),  there  is  about  eight  feet  water. 
Both  channels  have  a  sandy  bottom. 

At  a  distance  of  42  miles  along  the  coast  is  the  bar  of 
Chiltepec.  The  channel  is  600  yards  wide,  and  eight 
feet  deep ;  four  and  a  half  miles  from  the  bar  of  Chilte 
pec  is  that  of  Dos  Bocas,  with  a  depth  of  eleven  feet. 
Following  the  coast  from  Dos  Bocas,  we  come,  at  a  dis 
tance  of  twenty-one  miles,  to  the  bar  of  Cupiles,  the 
width  of  which  is  600  yards,  and  having  a  depth  of  four 
feet  water.  Large  canoes  can  ascend  as  far  as  San  An- 
.tonio,  a  distance  of  ninety  miles.  At  a  distance  of  fifty- 
one  miles  we  come  to  La  Barra  de  Santa  Anna,  which 
has  a  channel  600  yards  wide,  with  ten  feet  of  water. 
Inside  is  a  lagoon  or  lake,  eighteen  miles  long. 


Prices  at  Tabasco,  September,  1858. 

Logwood,  ...         62  cts.  per  quintal,  100  Ibs. 

Fustic,        .  .        .        .    44  to  50. 

Hides      .  .         .         .  $2  00  each. 

Deer-skins,.  .         .         .     18  to  30  per Ib. 

Tobacco,  .        .        .     8  00  to  12  00  per  cwt. 

Pepper,       .  .         .               4  to  5  per  Ib. 

Indigo,  .         .         .         87-J  per  Ib. 

Sarsaparilla,  .         .         .  8  00  per  cwt. 

Cocoa,    .  .         .         .    10  00  to  20  per  60  Ibs. 

Coffee,        .  .         .         .     10  to  12  per  Ib. 

Beans,     .  .         . .       .         62^  to  1  00  per  25  Ibs. 


121 


Statement  of  Exports  from  the  port  of  Tabasco  for  185T. 


$1,008 
890 

.       944: 

184 

58,088 

3,969 

.     100 

72,612 

.  2,000 

754 

33,412 

12,058 

.     590 

1,730 

.     236 

9 


ARTICLES. 

QUANTITY. 

Indigo,     .         .  '      '» 

1,400  Ibs. 

Sugar,         .      •>  * 

820  arrobas, 

Cocoa,    .      •-."•;  ''!     . 

75  cargas, 

Cassia, 

.      2,600  Ibs.    . 

Hides,    . 

22,530      . 

Deer-skins, 

.     13,658  Ibs.  . 

Molasses, 

.     200  arrobas, 

Gold  and  silver  coin, 

Brown  sugar, 

.     3,600  arrobas, 

Pimento, 

710       « 

Fustic  logwood,  . 

49,500  quintals, 

Leaf  tobacco, 

140,966 

Cigars, 

59,000       . 

Logs  of  mahogany, 

.       330 

Sarsaparilla, 

.     21  quintals, 

Hog-skins,. 

75  Ibs.    . 

$188,584 


STATE    OF   VERA    CRUZ. 


This  large  and  important  state,  second  only  to  the 
State  of  Mexico,  lies  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  by  which 
it  is  bounded  on  the  north,  east  by  the  Gulf,  Tabasco, 
and  Chiapas,  south  and  west  by  Oajaca,  Puebla,  Mexico, 
and  Queretaro. 

The  state  extends  along  the  Gulf  one  hundred  and 
sixty-six  leagues,  and  its  breadth  is  from  twenty-five  to 
twenty-eight  leagues.  The  section  of  country  embraced 
within  the  limits  of  the  State  of  Vera  Cruz  may  be  con 
sidered  the  most  remarkable  in  the  entire  republic — 
remarkable  for  its  extremes  of  temperature,  its  fertility 
of  soil,  its  variety  of  productions,  its  varied  scenery  and 

undeveloped  riches.     On  the    coast  the  heat  is  intense. 
16 


122 

This  is  tempered,  however,  from  November  till  April  by 
the  northtrs,  and  the  climate  is  much  more  salubrious 
than  it  is  generally  reported  to  be.  In  the  interior  the 
temperature  is  hot  until  you  reach  the  range  of  high 
mountains  on  the  western  borders  of  the  state.  The 
change  from  tropical  to  temperate,  and  from  temperate 
to  frigid,  is  sudden;  all  these  changes  occurring  within  a 
distance  of  sixty  to  seventy  miles.  The  districts  com 
prehended  by  these  different  climates  are  inhabited  by 
people  whose  temperament,  habits,  labors,  and  produc 
tions  of  course  conform  to  the  climate  in  which  they  live. 

It  is  impossible  to  give,  in  our  limited  space,  a  full  and 
accurate  account  of  this  rich  and  varied  state.  It  pro 
duces  tobacco,  coffee,  sugar,  cotton,  corn,  barley,  wheat, 
jalap,  sarsaparilla,  vanilla,  pine-apples,  oranges,  citrons, 
lemons,  pomegranates,  zapotes,  bananas,  chirernoyas, 
aguacatis,  tunas,  pears,  water-melons,  peaches,  apricots, 
guyavas,  grapes;  mahogany,  ebony,  cedar,  oak,  dragon- 
blood,  tamarinds,  palms,  dye-woods,  ash,  fir,  besides  rare 
and  beautiful  woods,  plants,  shrubs,  flowers,  and  cereals, 
which  spring  almost  spontaneously  from  the  soil  In  the 
neighborhood  of  San  Andres  Tuxtla,  and  throughout 
the  southern  portion  of  the  state,  there  are  vast  regions 
of  unoccupied  country  where  the  climate  is  salubrious, 
and  the  virgin  soil  far  excels  that  of  the  Mississippi. 
The  Indian  clears  a  small  patch  of  land,  makes  holes  in 
the  ground  with  a  stick,  drops  in  the  kernels  of  corn,  and 
when  he  plucks  the  ears,  ninety  days  from  the  time  of 
planting,  his  labors  are  over.  In  this  process,  no  refer 
ence  need  be  had  to  seasons.  Every  thing  grows  all  the 
year  round. 

Vera  Cruz,  capital  of  the  state  and  district  bearing  the 
same  name,  is  situated  in  latitude  19°  11'  N.,  and  20° 


123 

50'  E.  of  the  city  of  Mexico,  and  is  the  most  important 
port  in  the  country,  both  from  its  commerce,  and  from 
the  fact  of  its  being  the  door  of  the  republic  to  the  whole 
western  world. 

The  city  is  lighted  with  gas,  and  will  soon  be  provided 
with  excellent  water  brought  from  the  river  Jamapa, 
about  ten  miles  distant,  for  which  the  necessary  works 
are  already  in  course  of  construction,  and,  when  com 
pleted,  there  are  well-founded  hopes  of  its  becoming  one 
of  the  most  healthy  cities  in  the  tropics. 

Vera  Cruz  is,  perhaps,  after  Mexico,  one  of  the  most 
picturesque  cities  in  the  Spanish  Americas,  from  the  ele 
gant  construction  of  its  houses  and  the  beauty  of  its 
public  buildings.  Its  population  is  about  10,000  souls. 

Orizava,  capital  of  the  district  of  the  same  name,  is 
situated  in  18°  50'  N.  latitude,  and  2°  1'  42"  longitude  E. 
of  Mexico,  at  1,450  feet  elevation  above  the  level  of  the 
sea.  Its  distance  from  Vera  Cruz  is  eighty-two  miles, 
and  from  Mexico  about  one  hundred  and  eighty  miles. 
From  its  elevation  and  the  neighborhood  of  the  extinct 
volcano  of  Orizava  or  "  Sitlaltepetl,"  covered  with  eternal 
snow,  the  climate  is  delightful  and  entirely  free  from  the 
scorching  heats  of  "  Tierra  Caliente."  It  is  remarkable 
for  its  forests  of  orange-trees  and  its  excellent  coffee,  the 
best  of  which,  called  "  Caracolillo,"  is  fully  equal  to 
Mocha. 

It  contains  many  sugar  and  flour  mills,  and  its  popula 
tion  is  37,695. 

Jalapa  is  at  a  distance  of  seventy-two  miles  from  Vera 
Cruz,  to  the  inhabitants  of  which  it  forms  a  summer  re 
sort,  particularly  now  that  seven  leagues  of  the  railway 
leading  to  it  (and  which  is  probably  to  be  continued  on 
to  Mexico)  are  finished.  It  is  called  by  the  inhabitants 


124 

a  piece  of  heaven  dropped  on  earth ;  and  well  does  it 
merit  the  title,  both  on  account  of  its  lovely  scenery  and 
its  fragrant  flowers, 

Medellin,  about  ten  miles  from  Vera  Cruz,  is  a  large 
village  where  most  of  the  merchants  of  Vera  Cruz  have 
country  houses  ;  and  twice  a  year  gambling  saturnalia 
take  place  here,  which  continue  about  four  weeks,  afford 
ing  remarkable  glimpses  of  national  customs  to  the 
stranger. 

Lower  down  the  coast  we  have  Alvarado,  at  the  en 
trance  to  two  large  rivers,  the  San  Juan  and  the  Rio 
Blanco,  which  are  navigable  to  between  one  hundred  and 
fifty  and  one  hundred  and  eighty  miles,  and  afford  ma 
hogany  in  abundance,  and  various  other  products  which 
will  be  treated  of  in  their  proper  places  hereafter. 

Population  of  the  State  of  Vera  Cruz. 

Districts.  Division.  Population. 

Vera  Cruz Vera  Cruz 36,038 

Cosaraaloapan 13,924 

Tuxtla 17,335 

67,297 


Jalapa 37,115 

Coatepec 19,494 

Misantla 4,550 

61,159 

Orizava Orizava  37,695 

Songolica 17,355 

55,050 

Cordova Cordova 26,575 

Huatusco 10,380 

36,955 

Jalacingo Jalacingo 24,058 

Papantla 8,602 

32,660 

Tuxpan , Tuxpan 18,968 

Chiconthpec 27,431 

46,399 

Tampico Olosuama 19,525 

Tantoyuca 19,814 

39,339 

Total  number  of  inhabitants. .  ...      338,859 


125 


Minerals. 

Up  to  the  present  time,  two  districts  only  of  the  State 
of  Vera  Cruz  have  been  explored  by  speculators  in 
mines:  they  are  Jalapa  and  JaJacingo;  and  the  ores 
have  been  found  at  about  twenty-one  miles  north  of  the 
Cofre  of  Perote,  at  places  called  respectively  Tatatila, 
Zomelahuacan,  and  Senepanoya. 

There  are  being  worked,  at  present,  mines  containing 
lead  mixed  with  gold,  lead  and  copper,  copper  and  iron, 
and  copper  alone — in  all  eleven.  Twelve  are  at  present 
abandoned,  from  various  causes,  such  as  the  want  of 
capital  or  their  being  flooded  with  water  in  the  rainy 
season. 

Iron  is  also  found,  but  being  in  general  far  from  the 
roads  by  which  it  must  be  taken  to  market,  and  by  which 
also  coal  must  be  brought  for  smelting,  it  has  been  found 
more  profitable  to  import  it.  The  enormous  profits  made 
in  this  branch  of  commerce  with  Mexico,  should  demand 
the  attention  of  the  manufacturers  of  the  article  in  the 
United  States. 

Commerce  of  Vera  Cruz  before  the  Independence  of  Mexico. 

The  imports   through   the  port    of  Yera    Cruz    before    the 
"War  of  Independence,  averaging  one  year  with  another   ex 
ceeded  $19,000,000 
And  the  exports,  inclusive  of  silver,       -  21,000,000 


Total  of  mercantile  exchanges,  $40,000,000 


126 


Classification  of  Exports. 

Cochineal,  -    $1,715,000 

Sugar,     -  1,500,000 

Vanilla,      -  60,000 

Indigo,   -  2,700,000 

Sarsaparilla,       -  90,000 

Pepper  from  Tabasco,  -                                 40,000 

Flour,  -        -                   500,000 

Tanned  leather,      -  80,000 

Sundries,    -  -                   315,000 


$7,000,000 
Silver,  ....     14,000,000 


$21,000,000 

From  a  statement  published  by  the  Consulado  of  Vera 
Cruz,  it  appears  that  the  IMPORTATION  FROM  SPAIN  and 
other  European  countries  in  1802  was  as  follows: 

In  national  vessels,  ....     $11,539,219 
In  foreign  vessels,          .         .         .  8,060,781 

$19,600,000 

Exportation  in  the  same  year,        ....       33,866,219 


Total  trade  with  Europe,     ....         $53,466,219 
Importation  from  American  ports,  .         $1,607,792 
Exportation  to  "  "  .       4,581,148 

6,188,940 


Total  commerce  of  Yera  Cruz  for  1802,       .        $59,655,159 

Since  the  independence  of  Mexico  in  1821,  the  trade 
of  the  country  has  been  mostly  with  Europe.  From 
1825  to  1835,  the  trade  with  the  United  States  amounted 
to  considerable,  but  since  the  latter  period  it  has  been 


m 

steadily  diminishing,  until  at  the  present  time,  but  a  small 
exhibit  is  made  of  commerce  between  the  United  States 
and  Vera  Cruz. 

The  following  is  a  report  of  articles  exported  from 
Vera  Cruz  to  the  United  States  during  the  nine  months 
ending  September  30,  1856  : 

ARTICLES  EXPORTED.  VALUE  AS  PER  INVOICES. 

Vanilla  beans, $15,734  22 

Cochineal, 77,134  82 

Jalap, 10,553  84 

Goat-skins, 64,250  57 

Deer-skins, 2,030  40 

Calf-skins, 311  78 

Hides, 30,919  28 

Mahogany, 7,941  70 

Fustic, 851  57 

Tobacco, 1,236  14 

India-rubber, 469  91 

Shellac, 18  87 

Barilla, 32  82 

Copper, 1,677  93 

Coffee,       ....  24  00 

Cabalonga  nuts,     ....  28  56 


$213,216  41 

Of  this  amount  $9,765  was  shipped  to  New  Orleans, 
arid  the  balance  exclusively  to  New  York.  The  exports 
of  specie  during  the  said  nine  months,  to  New  Orleans, 
amounted  to  $855,443 ;  to  New  York  unknown,  certainly 
less  than  half  the  amount  shipped  to  New  Orleans. 

As  before  stated,  the  United  States  Consul  at  Vera 
Cruz  writes,  April  15,  1857  : 

"  The  duties   received    at  this   custom-house  during 


128 

the  year  ending  December  31,  1856,  amount,  according  to 
a  statement  just  published,  to  $6,127,060. 

"  Of  this  sum  I  doubt  if  one-twenty-fourth  accrued 
from  American  trade.  .  There 

were  some  6,000  to  7,000  bales  (175  to  200  Ibs.  each)  of 
cotton  grown  in  this  country  during  the  year,  and  about 
2,800  ceroons  (200  Ibs.  net)  of  cochineal. 

"  The  amount  of  cotton  imported  from  the  United 
States  (New  Orleans  solely),  during  the  last  three 
months,  was : 

Bales, 3,512 

Half  bales,  7,369,  equal  to  .        .  3,684." 


7,196 

Prices  in  Vera  Cruz,  according  to  latest  Consular  returns. 

Hides,     .         .        .        .  $1  62    &$1  75  each. 

Calf-skins,   ...  75    a       87  each. 

Goat-skins,     .         .         .  95    a    1  00  per  pair. 

Logwood,    .        .        .  62£               per  cwt. 

Fustic,   ....  50                       " 

Mahogany,          .  1-J  a         2  per  foot. 

Cochineal,     .        .        .  26  00                 per  25  Ibs. 

Jalap,        .         .        .  35  00    a  40  00  per  cwt. 

Sarsaparilla,  9  00                        " 

Tobacco,    .        .         .  2  50    a    5  50        " 

Indigo,          .         .         .  90    a    1  00  per  Ib. 

Vanilla  beans,  .        .  20  00    a  60  00  per  1,000. 

Prospects  of  Commerce  in  Vera  Cruz. 

It  is  now  time  to  speak  of  the  advantages  offered  in 
Vera  Cruz  to  a  regular  line  of  steamers,  touching  once  a 
week,  arid  affording  a  sure  means  of  correspondence 
with  the  United  States,  at  stated  periods.  In  a  compar- 


129 

atively  short  time  the  railway  will  be  opened  as  far  as 
Orizava,  and  will  eventually  be  continued  to  the  Pacific. 
This  railway,  when  completed,  will  inaugurate  a  new 
era  of  prosperity  for  Vera  Cruz — almost,  if  not  quite  as 
rich,  as  when,  a  century  ago,  it  formed  the  great  com 
mercial  emporium  of  "New  Spain,"  and  when  the  mer 
chants  of  the  mother  country  became  rich  with  one  single 
venture.  In  effect  it  will  open  up  vast  regions  of  the 
coasts  of  Oajaca,  Chiapas,  &c.,  &c.,  which  are  now 
almost  entirely  cut  off  from  every  means  of  either  im 
port  or  export,  on  account  of  the  enormous  price  of 
freights,  and  which  teem  with  every  production  of  a  trop 
ical  climate — minerals,  dye-woods,  mahogany,  grain  and 
cochineal,  beside  affording  an  extensive  market  for 
American  productions  in  the  large  cities  in  the  interior. 


THE    ISTHMUS    OF    TEHUANTEPEC. 


The  Isthmus  of  Tehuantepec  deserves  special  notice 
in  this  work.  The  territory  of  the  Isthmus  proper  lies  be 
tween  16°  5'  and  18°  21'  N.  latitude,  and  3°  53'  and  50° 
30'  longitude  E.  from  the  city  of  Mexico.  It  comprises  a 
part  of  the  states  of  Vera  Cruz,  Oajaca,  Tabasco,  and 
Chiapas.  Its  northern  limit  is  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and 
its  southern  the  Pacific  Ocean.  All  the  agricultural  pro 
ductions  and  fruits  found  in  the  states  above  named,  ex 
cept  a  few  that  belong  to  the  cold  regions,  are  produced 
in  the  greatest  abundance  throughout  the  Isthmus  of 
Tehuantepec.  It  is  perhaps  one  of  the  richest  agricul 
tural  districts  in  the  republic.  The  treaty  contemplated 
with  Mexico  secures  to  the  United  States  the  important 
and  invaluable  advantages  that  will  accrue  to  our  country 

from  the   right  of  way  across  the  Isthmus  in  perpetuity. 
17 


130 

When  the  route  is  fully  opened,  and  the  transit  becomes 
regular  and  easy,  the  passage  will  be  made  from  New 
York  to  California  in  eighteen  days.  The  opening  of 
this  route  will  at  once  develop  the  resources  of  the  Isth 
mus,  which  are  rich  and  varied.  In  addition. to  its  agri 
cultural  products  there  are  rare  and  valuable  woods  of 
the  greatest  variety  arid  abundance;  mahogany,  Brazil 
wood,  logwood,  India-rubber,  &c.,  now  form  the  principal 
exports. 

The  principal  river  is  the  Coatzacoalcos,  which  is  nav 
igable  for  a  distance  of  some  seventy  or  eighty  miles 
above  its  mouth. 

The  port  of  Coatzacoalcos  is  situated  on  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  is  easy  of  access 
by  vessels  drawing  eleven  to  twelve  feet  of  water.  This 
is  one  of  the  ports  at  which  the  United  States  and  Mexi 
can  mail  steamers  will  touch. 

Miriatitlanis  situated  on  the  Coatzacoalcos,  twenty  miles 
from  its  mouth.  Vessels  crossing  the  bar  at  the  mouth 
of  the  river,  can  reach  this  place  without  difficulty. 

Statement  of  the  exports  of  Mahogany  from  the  river  Coatza 
coalcos,  showing  progressive  increase. 

VESSELS.  TONS. 

1849  ...    5    ...    T13 

1850  ...     1  ...      230 

1851  ...    6    ...    690 

1852  ...     5  ...      810 

1853  ...    T    ...   1,242 

1854  ...    13  ...     3,214 

1855  ...   19    ...   3,882 

1856  .    .    .    32  .    .    .     6,804 
185T    ...   65    ...  12,556 

Total,   .       153  ...    30,141 


131 

Vessels  of  all  nations  entered  at  and  cleared  from  the 
port  of  Minatitlan,  from  September  30, 1857,  to  September 
30,  1858: 

NO.  TONNAGE. 

American  vessels,  .  .         .  .31,  .     5,793 

French*            "  ...           1  .  318 

English           "  .         .  .     26  .         .     5,044 

Spanish           "                                           1  203 

Sardinian        "  .         .                1  .  .        262 

Italian             "  ...           1  .  289 

German,  Swedish  and  Belgian  vessels,  4  .  .        657 


65  12,566 


YUCATAN. 


Columbus,  in  his  first  three  voyages,  did  not  reach  the 
continent  of  America,  but  on  his  fourth  ill-fated  and  final 
expedition,  after  sixty  days'  tempestuous  weather,  he  dis 
covered  a  small  island,  supposed  to  be  that  now  called 
in  the  charts  Bonaca.  While  on  shore  in  this  island,  he 
saw  coming  from  the  west  a  canoe  of  large  size  filled 
with  Indians,  who  appeared  to  be  a  more  civilized  people 
than  any  he  had  yet  encountered.  In  return  to  the  in 
quiries  of  the  Spaniards  for  gold,  they  pointed  toward 
the  west,  and  endeavored  to  persuade  them  to  steer  in 
that  direction.  "Well  would  it  have  been  for  Colum 
bus,"  says  Mr.  Irving,  "had  he  followed  their  advice. 
Within  a  day  or  two  he  would  have  arrived  at  Yucatan ; 
the  discovery  of  Mexico  and  the  other  opulent  countries 
of  New  Spain  would  have  followed  ;  the  Southern  Ocean 
would  have  been  disclosed  to  him,  and  a  succession  of 
splendid  discoveries  would  have  shed  fresh  glories  on  his 
declining  age,  instead  of  sinking  it  amidst  gloom,  neg 
lect  and  disappointment." 


132- 

Four  years  afterward,  Juan  Diaz  de  Soils  held  the 
same  course  to  the  island  of  Bonaca,  and  then  steering 
to  the  west,  discovered  the  east  coast  of  Yucatan. 

From  the  time  of  the  conquest,  Yucatan  existed  as 
a  distinct  captain-generalcy,  not  connected  wjth  Guate 
mala  nor  subject  to  the  Viceroy  of  Mexico.  So  it  con 
tinued  down  to  the  Mexican  revolution. 

The  independence  of  Yucatan  followed  that  of  Mexico 
without  any  struggle,  and  actually  by  default  of  the 
mother  country  in  not  attempting  to  keep  it  in  subjection. 

Before  the  conquest,  one  language,  called  the  Maya, 
extended  throughout  the  whole  peninsula,  and  the  whole 
land  of  Maya  was  united  under  one  head  or  supreme 
lord. 

This  great  chief  had  for  the  seat  of  his  monarchy  a 
very  populous  city  called  Mayapan,  and  had  under 
him  a  great  many  other  lords,  or  caciques,  who  were 
bound  to  pay  him  tribute  and  serve  him  in  war. 

These  lords,  too,  had  under  them  cities  and  many 
vassals.  Becoming  proud  and  ambitious,  they  rebelled 
against  the  power  of  the  supreme  lord,  and  besieged  and 
destroyed  the  city  of  Mayapan. 

This  took  place  about  one  hundred  years  before  the 
arrival  of  the  Spaniards,  and  may  perhaps  account,  more 
or  less,  for  the  origin  of  the  mysterious  palaces  buried 
deep  in  the  solitudes  of  Yucatan. 

To  quote  the  eloquent  words  of  Stephens  :  •'  The  ex 
istence  of  most  of  these  ruins  was  entirely  unknown  to 
the  residents  of  the  capital,  but  few  had  ever  been  visited 
by  white  inhabitants;  they  were  desolate,  and  overgrown 
with  trees.  For  a  brief  space  the  stillness  that  reigned 
around  them  was  broken,  and  then  they  were  again  left 
to  solitude  and  silence.  Time  and  the  elements  are  has- 


133 

tening  them  to  utter  destruction.  In  a  few  generations 
their  facades,  covered  with  sculptured  ornaments,  already 
cracked  and  yawning,  must  fall  and  become  mere  shape 
less  mounds.  It  has  been  the  fortune  of  the  author  to 
step  between  them  and  the  entire  destruction  to  which 
they  are  destined ;  and  it  is  his  hope  to  snatch  from  ob 
livion  these  perishing,  but  still  gigantic  memorials  of  a 
mysterious  people/' 

The  State  of  Yucatan  is  situated  between  latitude  1Y° 
49'  north,  and  21°  37'  north,  and  longitude  6°  33'  and  12° 
28'  east  of  the  city  of  Mexico.  Its  shores  are  washed  on 
the  west  and  north  by  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  on  the 
east  by  the  sea  of  the  Antilles ;  on  the  south  it  is  bor 
dered  by  Central  America,  and  by  the  English  territory 
of  the  Belize,  of  which  the  boundary  is  the  Rio  Hondo, 
or  Deep  River.  On  the  south-west  is  the  former  terri 
tory  of  Carmen,  which  has  been  divided  between  Yucatan 
and  Tabasco. 

Two  depressed  chains  of  mountains  traverse  the  state, 
but  in  the  main  it  is  a  level  country,  and  generally 
covered  with  rank  vegetation,  either  wild  or  cultivated. 
Yucatan  offers  a  peculiarly  fine  field  to  the  explorer, 
and  here  are  found  some  of  the  most  curious  and  stu 
pendous  relics  of  the  ancient  inhabitants.  Stephens  and 
Catherwood  obtained  the  most  interesting  material  for 
their  publications  in  this  state.  There  are  extensive  re 
gions  yet  unexplored  by  white  men. 

The  character  and  variety  of  the  productions  of  the 
State  of  Yucatan  may  be  I  earned  from  the  following 
account  of  the  several  districts  : 

District  of  Merida  /  Capital,  Merida. 
Horned    cattle,    horses,    mules,   tallow,   jerked-beef, 


134 

leather,    salt,    gypsum,    hemp    raw    and    manufactured, 
straw  hats,  guitars,  cigars,  and  logwood. 

District  of  Campeche  ;  Capital,  Campeche. 
Salt,  logwood,  rice,  sugar  and  marble  of  good  quality. 

District  of  Lerma  /  Capital,  Lerma. 
Logwood,  timber,  rice,  and  fish-oil. 

District  of  Valladolid  :   Capital,  City  of  Valladolid. 
Cotton,  sugar,  gum-copal,  tobacco,  cochineal,  saffron, 
vanilla,  cotton  fabrics,  yarns,  &c.,  wax,  honey,  castor-oil, 
horned  cattle,  hogs,  and  skins. 

Coast  District ;  Capital,  City  of  Izamal. 
Horned  cattle,  horses,  mules,  tallow,  jerked-beef,  cas 
tor-oil,  hides,  wax,  honey,  timber,  indigo,  hemp  raw  and 
manufactured,  straw,  cigars,  barilla,  and  salt. 

Upper  Highland  District ;  Capital,  City  of  Tekax. 
Horned  cattle,  horses,  mules,  hogs,  sheep,  skins,  sugar, 
molasses,  timber,  rice,  tobacco  in  leaf  and  manufactured, 
spirits,  arrow-root,  straw  hats,  cotton-lace,  ochre,  flints, 
and  grindstones. 

Lower  Highland  District ;  Capital,  Teabo. 
Horned  cattle,  horses,  mules,  hogs,  sheep,  skins,  tal 
low,  dried  beef,  hemp  raw  and  manufactured,  and  cotton- 
lace. 

Upper  Royal  Road  District;  Capital,  Jequdchakan. 
Cattle,  horses,   mules,  skins,   tallow,  dried  beef,  log 
wood,  tobacco,  sugar,  and  rum. 

Lower  Royal  Road  District  /  Capital,  Maxcanu. 
Horned   cattle,  horses,  oil    of  palma   cristi,  tobacco, 
hemp,  and  fine  straw  hats 


135 


Upper  Beneficios  District ;  Capital,  Ichenul. 
Sugar,  molasses,  rum,  tobacco,  rice,  pepper,  gum,  sar- 
saparilla,  hats,  hammocks,  ebony,  barilla,  gypsum,  and 
skins. 

Lower  Beneficios  District  /    Capital,  Sotula. 
Horned  cattle,  horses,  mules,  hogs,  skins,   tallow,    and 
dried  beef. 

District  of  Tizimin  y    Capital,  Tizimin. 
Tortoise-shell,  skins,  timber,  logwood,    India-rubber, 
incense,  tobacco,  achiote  (a  rich  yellow  dye),  starch  from 
the  yuca,  cotton,  wax,  honey,  molasses,  sugar,  rum,  cas 
tor-oil,  salt,  amber,  vanilla,  hogs,  and  cochineal. 

District  of  Seiba-playa  /    Capital,  Seiba-playa. 
Timber,  rice,  logwood  and  salt. 

Bacalar  District  /    Capital,  Bacalar. 

Logwood,  valuable  timber,  inferior  sugar,  tobacco, 
rum,  fine  hemp  known  under  the  name  of  pita,  resin,  In 
dia-rubber,  gum-copal,  pimento,  sarsaparilla,  vanilla  and 
gypsum. 

These,  with  all  the  tropical  fruits,  afford  an  astonish 
ing  variety  of  natural  productions. 

Mining  has  never  formed  a  branch  of  industry  among 
the  present  race  of  inhabitants.  There  are  traditions 
pointing  to  the  existence  of  gold  and  silver  mines  in  the 
state,  but  there  is  no  disposition  evinced  to  discover  and 
work  them. 

Salt  is  obtained  on  the  island  of  the  Mujeres.  The  island 
of  Cozumel  on  the  east  coast — which  was  the  first  land 
discovered  by  the  Spaniards  on  their  voyage  to  Mexico 
— is  now  almost  uninhabited. 


136 

The  extension  of  its  coast  is  as  follows  : 

From  Point  Bacalar  to  Cape  Catoche        .         .         .  276  miles. 
From  Cape  Catoche  to  Punta  Desconocida,  in  Cam- 

peche  Sound, 250      u 

And  from  thence  to  the  Bar  of  San  Pedro,  .         .  281      u 

In  all, SOT  miles. 

Cities,  Population,  &c. 

Yucatan  has  four  large  cities  in  the  interior,  viz. : 

1.  Merida,  capital  of  the  state,  is  situated  in  the  centre 
of  a  spacious  plain,  at  an  elevation  of  twenty-four  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea,  the  breezes  of  which  maintain 
a  cool  and  pleasant  temperature. 

Its  population  is  23,575,  and  its  distance  from  Mexico 
1 ,005  miles,  and  from  Sisal  twenty-eight  miles. 

2.  Valladolid,  at  a  distance  of  ninety-four  miles  from 
Merida,  and   135  from  Carnpeche,  with  a  population  of 
2,389  inhabitants. 

3.  Izamal,  thirty-nine  miles  from  Merida,  has  a  popu 
lation  of  4,797  inhabitants. 

4.  Tekax,  fifty-seven  miles  from  Merida,  with  a  popu 
lation  of  4,348  inhabitants. 

Ports. 

The  most  important  ports  are  Sisal  and  Campeche. 
Sisal  is  in  21°  10'  N.  latitude,  and  9°  06'  longitude  E.  of 
Mexico ;  population  942. 

Campeche,  the  most  important  of  the  two,  is  situated 
on  the  west  coast  of  Yucatan,  and  contains  a  population 
of  15,000  inhabitants,  the  greater  part  of  whom  are  con 
nected  with  the  logwood  trade,  of  which  it  is  estimated 


137 

that  650,000  quintals  are  exported  annually,  whilst 
the  value  of  other  articles  of  merchandise  by  the  way 
of  the  English  territory  of  Belize,  amounts  annually  to 
$2,110,000,  all  of  which  ought  and  can  be  diverted  into 
American  channels. 

According  to  the  calculation  of  Mr.  D.  G.  Rigil,  which 
appears  the  most  free  from  exaggeration,  there  were  pro 
duced  in  1853,  20,416,200  pounds  of  sugar,  and  306,243 
barrels  of  aguadiente. 

o 

With  respect  to  the  Genequen,  which  may  be  called 
an  industry  peculiar  to  Yucatan,  and  of  which  are  made 
sacks,  hammocks,  curtains,  cables,  &>c.,  there  are  exported 
of  it  annually  in  its  manufactured  state  560,500  pounds. 

Other  products  are  as  follows  : 

CONSUMPTION.  EXPORTATION. 

Maize,  .  .  20,000,530  bushels.  16,350  bushels. 
Kice,  .  .  1,T50,000  pounds,  93/TOO  pounds. 
Frijoles,  .  .  24,000,000  «  144,550  " 

Besides  the  articles  above  mentioned,  there  is  an  ex 
tensive  production  of  cotton,  tobacco,  gum-copal,  indigo, 
&,c.,  &c.,  of  which  large  amounts  are  exported.  Of 
course  these  products  might  be  doubled  or  trebled  if  the 
inhabitants  would  be  at  the  pains  of  making  good  roads, 
which  might  be  formed  at  small  expense  from  the  level 
nature  of  the  country,  which  in  many  places  only  re 
quires  the  undergrowth  to  be  cut  down  to  admit  the 
passage  of  mule  trains. 

.  From  the  fact  of  there  being  no  swamps,  the  climate, 
although  hot,  is  uniformly  healthy. 

Laguna. 

The  port  of  Carmen  (Laguria  de  Terminos)  may  be 

considered  as  the  best  port  in  the  Mexican  part  of  the 

18 


138 

Gulf.  Its  entrance  is  by  a  wide-spread  bar  of  soft  mud; 
the  depth  of  water  at  low  tide  is  thirteen  feet,  and  fifteen 
at  high  tide.  After  passing  the  bar,  vessels  go  to  anchor 
near  the  island  where  the  city  of  Carmen  stands,  and 
there  the  depth  of  water  is  from  four  to  six  fathoms. 
Vessels  are  sheltered  in  this  port  from  all  winds,  and 
only  a  westerly  hurricane  can  endanger  the  security  of 
their  anchorage. 

The  city  of  Carmen  has  about  5,000  inhabitants ;  its 
aspect  from  the  port  is  very  picturesque  and  beautiful. 
Mariners,  on  their  entering,  may  be  guided  by  a  fine 
fixed  light  in  the  Indian  village  opposite  the  place,  which 
light  can  be  seen  fourteen  miles  at  sea.  The  principal 
commerce  of  this  town  consists  in  the  extraction  of  log 
wood,  the  annual  exportation  of  which  is  from  four  to  six 
hundred  thousand  quintals.  The  price  generally  ranges 
from  75  cents  to  $1  25,  according  to  the  demand,  or  the 
great  or  small  supply  in  the  market. 

The  logwood  is  carried  to  Carmen  in  canoes  of  from 
four  hundred  to  a  thousand  quintals  burden,  from  Ta- 
bancuy,  Chiboja,  Candelaria,  Chumpan,  the  Ranches  of 
the  East,  Palisada,  and  principally  from  all  the  Ranches 
on  the  river  Usumacinta,  passing  through  Palisada.  The 
interior  of  the  country  is  generally  swampy,  and  its 
greatest  production  to  this  day  is  logwood.  There  is  also 
in  the  interior  of  the  country  a  large  quantity  of  cedar, 
mahogany,  and  divers  other  kinds  of  fine  and  valuable 
timber,  especially  for  ship-building ;  but,  until  now,  they 
have  not  been  an  object  of  great  extraction  or  exportation. 

There  are  at  present  ten  or  twelve  establishments  for 
the  elaboration  of  sugar  and  aguadiente  (sugar-cane  rum), 
and  with  time  these  articles  may  be  produced  in  abund 
ance  for  exportation. 


139 

What  is  now  considered  as  the  Territory  of  Carmen 
has  about  20,000  inhabitants. 

If  the  country  was  more  thickly  peopled,  so  as  to  facil 
itate  labor  for  agricultural  pursuits,  it  would  probably 
be  one  of  the  richest  tracts  of  country  in  the  world. 

Steam  communications  could  be  established  from  Car 
men  to  the  rivers  of  Palisada,  Chumpan,  Candelaria, 
Mamantel,  and  Cano  de  Tabancuy,  by  deepening  a  little 
the  bars  of  these  rivers,  which  could  be  done  without 
any  great  outlay,  and  with  lucrative  results  to  any  one 
who  would  undertake  the  enterprise. 

The  distance  by  sea  from  Vera  Cruz  to  Laguna  is  two 
hundred  and  seventy  miles ;  from  Laguna  to  Frontera 
de  Tabasco,  by  sea,  forty-eight  miles ;  or  to  San  Juan 
Bautista,  one  hundred  and  fourteen  miles,  by  sea  and 
river.  . 

Statement  of  Logwood  exported  from  the  port  of  Laguna. 

1849  598,832  quintals.  1853  455,920  quintals. 

1850  442,949         u  1854  466,561 

1851  384,251         "  1855  678,988        " 

1852  472,636         "  1856  584,810 

Of  the  584,810  quintals  of  logwood  exported  from 
Laguna  in  1856,  but  36,859  quintals  went  to  the  United 
States. 

ZACATECAS. 

Zacatecas,  one  of  the  central  states  of  Mexico,  is 
bounded  north  by  Durango,  Coajuila  and  Nuevo  Leon ; 
east  by  San  Luis  Potosi  and  Aguas  Calientes  ;  south  try 
Guanajuato,  Aguas  Calientes  and  Jalisco  :  west  by  Ja 
lisco  and  Durango.  The  boundaries  of  this  state  are 
the  most  irregular  of  any  in  the  confederacy.  The 


140 

mountains  and  peaks,  more  or  less  elevated,  which  oc 
cupy  the  greater  portion  of  the  state,  are  a  prolongation 
of  the  Sierra  Mad  re,  and  the  gradual  descent  of  these 
gives,  in  the  lower  part  of  the  state,  spacious  valleys  and 
fertile  fields,  deep  barrancas  and  canons,  all  of  which 
form  imposing  and  picturesque  scenery. 

The  agricultural  districts  are  not  extensive,  yet  the 
fertility  of  those  under  cultivation  is  such  that  the 
products  of  the  soil  form  one  source  of  wealth.  The 
forests  afford  an  abundance  of  red  and  white  oak,  syca 
more,  ash,  white  wood,  mezquites  and  all  classes  of  pine. 

The  principal  fruits  are  of  the  temperate  regions,  such 
as  apples,  pears,  peaches,  quinces,  grapes,  strawberries, 


The  following  is  the  report  of  the  principal  agricultural 
products  in  1858. 

DISTRICTS.  CORN.  FRIJOLES.  WHEAT.  CHILE. 

Fanegas.  Fanegas.  Cargas.          Arrobas. 


Zacatecas, 

24,458 

1,791 

964 

6,890 

Fresnillo, 

41,354 

1,507 

1,285 

555 

Sombrerete, 

58,504 

1,284 

1,028 

338 

Sieves, 

30,009 

2,762 

2,569 

668 

Pinos, 

5,118 

3,268 

31 

69 

Juchipila, 

171,075 

4,256 

353 

81 

Tlaltenango, 

53,185 

4,945 

150 

226 

Jerez, 

47,152 

2,355 

1,306 

4,103 

Yillanueva, 

81,206 

11,604 

531 

864 

512,061 

33,772 

8,217 

13,794 

Estimated  head  of  ganando 

mayor,  or  horses, 

VALUE. 

mules  and  cattle, 

1858, 

. 

.    43,671 

Estimated  head  in 

ganada 

minor,  or 

sheep 

and  asses, 

. 

. 

.  392,222 

$1,862,789 

In  its  mineria,  the  state  of  Zacatecas  has  at  various 


141 

epochs  ranked  first  in  the  republic.  This  state  and 
Guanajuato  have  for  years  been  rivals  in  the  richness  of 
their  veins  and  the  buena  ley  of  their  metals,  each  claim 
ing  pre-eminence,  and  alternately  standing  first  and 
second  in  the  quantity  of  the  precious  metals  produced. 
The  amount  yielded  in  Zacatecas  varies  with  the  causes 
that  affect  the  industry  of  the  inhabitants. 

The  three  silver-mining  districts  of  Zacatecas,  Fres- 
nillo  and  Sombrerete  are  the  most  celebrated  in  the  re 
public. 

The  Zacatecas  mines  were  discovered  in  1546,  by 
Captain  Juan  de  Tolosa. 

TERRITORY    OF    LOWER    CALIFORNIA. 

This  territory  is  comprehended  in  that  long,  peninsu 
lar  strip  of  land  lying  between  the  southern  boundary  of 
the  United  States  and  Cape  St.  Lucas.  On  the  east  is 
the  Gulf  of  California,  and  on  the  west  the  Pacific  Ocean. 
The  peninsula  is  700  miles  long,  and  varies  in  breadth 
from  30  to  100  miles.  It  may  be  said  that  the  entire 
peninsula  is  occupied  by  a  chain  of  high,  rugged  and 
barren  mountains,  leaving  a  nook,  corner  or  small  valley 
here  and  there  for  fruits  and  agricultural  products  suffi 
cient  to  support  a  sparse  population.  The  rocks  and 
arid  plains,  which  reflect  the  rays  of  the  sun,  seldom  ob 
scured  by  clouds,  would  render  the  heat  almost  insuf 
ferable,  but  for  the  sea  air,  which,  in  breezes  sometimes 
strong  and  sometimes  mild,  sweeps  over  the  territory,  ren 
dering  the  climate  in  the  habitable  portions  the  most 
salubrious  and  healthy  in  the  world. 

The  agricultural  products  a:e  limited,  and  consist 
chiefly  of  corn;  frijoles,  sweet  potatoes  and  chile,  with 


142 

olives,  grapes,  dates,  figs,  quinces,  peaches  and  pears. 
But  the  waters  that  surround  the  peninsula  have  been 
more  profitable  to  the  inhabitants  than  the  land.  The 
pearl-fisheries  have  long  been  prosecuted,  and  with  great 
success.  In  the  sixteenth  century  the  pearl-fishery  pro 
duced  a  valuable  revenue,  and  towards  its  close,  six 
hundred  and  ninety-seven  pounds  of  the  precious  article 
were  exported  from  this  quarter  to  Spain.  Of  late  years 
but  little  interest  is  manifested  in  this  branch  of  indus 
try.  A  beautiful  quality  of  tortoise-shell  is  also  exported 
from  this  territory. 

The  raising  of  cattle  is  one  of  the  principal  sources  of 
wealth,  and  dried  beef  and  hides  enter  largely  into  the 
articles  of  export. 

But  the  chief  wealth  of  this  territory  will  eventually 
be  found  in  the  mines  of  gold,  silver,  copper,  lead,  &c., 
which  are  known  to  exist  in  great  extent  and  richness. 
The  whole  country  is  volcanic,  and  the  metalliferous  man 
ifestations  are  too  plain  to  be  mistaken.  The  people 
have  no  enterprise,  and  their  government  is  so  unsafe 
and  uncertain,  that  others  of  enterprise  and  capital  do 
not  care,  under  the  present  order  of  things,  to  invest 
their  labor  and  means  in  the  territory.  There  are  sev 
eral  good  harbors  on  the  Gulf  and  ocean  shores.  That 
of  Magdelena  Bay,  on  the  Pacific  side,  is  frequently  re 
sorted  to  by  whalers,  and  it  would  be  very  valuable  to 
the  United  States.  Fish,  shell-fish  and  water-fowl  of 
the  finest  qualities  are  excessively  abundant.  In  some 
respects,  the  peninsula  of  Lower  California  and  its  ad 
joining  waters  have  a  higher  value  than  is  generally 
placed  upon  them. 

La  Paz  is  the  capital  and  principal  port  of  the  terri 
tory.  It  is  situated  on  the  Gulf,  near  the  southern 


143 

extremity.  It  has  an  excellent  harbor,  and  enjoys  a  de 
lightful  climate.  Population,  1,274.  The  population  of 
the  entire  territory  is  but  9,000. 


DISTRICT    OF    MEXICO. 


What  is  known  as  the  district  or  valley  of  Mexico  is 
limited  on  the  north  by  San  Cristobal  Ecatepec,  east  by 
El  Piiion  Viejo,  south  by  Tlalpam,  and  west  by  Los  Re- 
medios. 

The  valley  is  oval  in  its  outline,  eighteen  leagues  long 
and  twelve  wide.  It  is  surrounded  by  mountains,  in 
which  abound  the  tezontle,  porphyry,  basalt,  obsidian,  and 
various  species  of  lava.  It  is  generally  believed  that  the 
entire  valley  of  Mexico  is  one  enormous  crater  of  an 
ancient  volcano,  covered  over  by  a  crust  of  earth  of 
recent  formation. 

The  highest  of  these  mountains  are  called  Talapon 
and  Ajusco. 

Nothing  of  the  metallic  or  granitic  order  is. found  in 
this  district.  Vegetation  is  vigorous  and  varied,  and  the 
mountains  present  phenomena  truly  extraordinary. 

The  surrounding  mountains  yield  an  abundance  of 
timber,  especially  pine,  and  various  woods  for  building 
and  manufacturing  purposes.  The  valley  is  exceedingly 
fertile,  producing  corn,  wheat,  barley,  frijoles,  &c. ;  fine 
fruits — pears,  perories,  apples,  peaches,  figs,  nuts,  mul 
berries,  cherries,  chestnuts,  zapotes,  aguacates,  and  some 
of  the  tropical  fruits,  such  as  oranges,  lemons,  and  chiri- 
moyas.  Vegetables  flourish  all  the  year. 


144 

The  valley  or  district  is  subdivided  as  follows : 

DISTRICTS.  NO.    OF    MUNICIPALITIES.  POPULATION. 

Mexico,     ...     4        ...  213,499 

Tlalpan,        .                12  .         .        .  56,035 

Tlaluepantla,             .     3  73,949 

Tezcoco,        .        .         3  .         .        .  122,340 

22  465,823 

The  larger  portion  of  the  inhabitants,  except  those  of 
the  city  of  Mexico,  are  engaged  in  agriculture.  Many 
are  employed  in  the  manufacture  of  crockery-ware,  silk, 
woolen  and  cotton  goods,  paper,  beer,  soap,  liquors,  oil, 
iron,  &c.  There  are  two  establishments  for  the  manu 
facture  of  fine  crockery- ware,  one  at  Tacubaya  and  one 
in  the  city  of  Mexico.  There  are  four  manufactories  of 
paper  located  a  short  distance  from  the  city. 

The  following  is  a  statement  of  the  cotton  factories : 


FACTORIES. 

Magdalen  a, 

LOCATION.                NO. 

San  Angel, 

OF  SPINDLES. 

8,472 

PS.  CLOTH  PI 

67,200 

Miraflores, 

Chalco, 

5,556 

60,000 

Tizapan, 

San  Angel, 

4,094 

6,000 

Batan, 

do. 

2,300 

71,948 

Abeja, 

Molino  Prieto, 

5,568 

12,500 

Tlalpan, 

Tlalpan, 

4,094 

28,800 

30,084  246,448 

Considerable  attention  is  given  to  the  raising  of  horses 
mules,  cattle,  and  domestic  fowls. 


CITY    OF    MEXICO. 


The  city  of  Mexico,  capital  of  the  republic,  is  situated 
in  the  centre   of  the  remarkable    and   beautiful  valley 


145 

which  has  been  described.  It  is  in  latitude  19°  25'  45" 
N.,  and  longitude  103°  45'  53"  W.  from  Greenwich,  but  its 
elevation  above  the  sea,  which  is  7,500  feet,  secures  to 
this  region  an  even,  salubrious,  and  delightful  climate. 
The  mean  temperature  of  the  city  is  17°  (R)  21°  (cent.) 
The  barometer  varies  between  23°  and  23.2  English 
inches.  The  magnetic  needle  declines  8°  30'  12"  to  the 
east.  The  prevailing  winds  are  north-east  and  north. 

The  city  is  on  a  perfect  level,  but  its  plan  is  somewhat 
irregular.  Length  from  north  to  south,  4,018  yards; 
breadth  from  east  to  west  3,276.  There  are  252  squares 
or  blocks  of  buildings,  316  streets,  140  small,  irregular 
streets,  12  bridges,  and  90  plazas,  great  and  small.  The 
population  is  estimated  at  200,000.  The  foundation 
of  this  city  by  the  Aztecs  dates  1160,  and  it  bore  the 
name  of  Tenochtitlan.  Cortes  and  his  followers  con 
quered  and  destroyed  it  in  1521,  at  which  time  it  may 
have  contained  50,000  to  60,000  souls,  though  Mun- 
chausen  accounts  would  make  it  appear  that  a  million 
and  a  half  of  human  beings  swarmed  about  this  locality. 
The  official  report  of  Cortes  in  1524,  three  years  after 
the  conquest,  gives  30,000  as  the  population  of  the  new 
city  of  Mexico.  For  a  century  the  city  continued  to 
increase  in  numbers,  wealth,  and  power,  so  that  when 
Captain  John  Smith  and  his  followers  were  looking  for 
gold  mines  in  Virginia,  and  the  pilgrims  were  planting 
corn  in  Massachusetts,  an  empire  had  been  founded  and 
built  up  on  the  same  continent  by  Spaniards,  and  the 
most  stupendous  system  of  plunder  the  world  ever  saw 
was  then  and  there  in  vigorous  operation. 

The  capital  of  the  republic  has  made  but  little  prog 
ress  since  it  became  independent  of  Spain.  In  general 
terms,  it  may  be  said  that  the  inauguration  of  the 
19 


146 

republic  brought  no  peace  or  prosperity  to  the  country, 
or  materially  advanced  the  interests  of  the  city  of 
Mexico. 

A  glance  at  the  map  will  convince  any  one  that  the 
geographical  position  of  the  city  of  Mexico  is  highly 
important  and  advantageous.  It  is  in  the  centre  of  a 
country  of  surpassing  richness  and  beauty.  But  the 
history  of  this  capital  from  the  day  of  its  foundation  by 
the  Aztecs,  precisely  seven  centuries  ago,  is  one  of  con 
stant  revolution  and  warfare.  No  earthly  record  worthy 
of  credence  excels  it.  From  first  to  last  it  has  been  the 
stronghold  of  political  dissensions  and  bloodshed.  At  the 
present  moment,  the  struggle  between  the  progressive 
ideas  of  the  masses  and  the  determined  bigotry  and 
despotism  of  the  priesthood  and  their  followers,  is  going 
on  as  fiercely  as  ever.  But  it  is  to  be  hoped  the  dark 
night  that  has  hung  over  this  beautiful  city  and  country 
so  long,  is  nearly  over,  and  that  in  our  day  the  light  of 
wisdom,  truth,  and  virtue,  will  dawn  upon  the  race  so 
abused  and  despised  by  all  the  world. 

The  city  of  Mexico,  with  its  surrounding  district,  is 
destined  to  possess  a  dense  population  and  all  the 
elements  of  power,  by  which  it  will  figure  largely  in  the 
world's  history,  and  this  at  no  very  remote  day. 


147 


SYNOPSIS  OF  MEXICAN  HISTORY. 


AND 


GENERAL     REMARKS 


IN  making  up  the  following  summary,  we  are  indebt 
ed  for  much  valuable  information  to  the  MEXICAN  EX 
TRAORDINARY,  published  in  the  city  of  Mexico,  the 
NEW  YORK  HERALD,  and  the  correspondence  of  the 
NEW  YORK  TIMES. 

The  Aztec  empire  in  Mexico  dates  from  1160.  Her- 
nando  Cortes,  with  a  small  band  of  followers,  aided  by 
some  of  the  native  Indian  tribes,  achieved  the  conquest 
of  that  empire  in  1521.  Montezuma  died  a  miserable 
death  in  the  hands  of  Cortes  ;  and  Guatemozin,  the  last 
of  the  Aztec  emperors,  was  ignominiously  hung  by  the 
Spanish  conqueror. 

From  the  year  1535  until  the  year  1821,  when  Mexico 
obtained  her  independence,  the  country  was  governed  by 
sixty-one  viceroys,  whose  terms  of  service  extended  over 
a  period  of  286  years,  giving  to  each  viceroy  rather 
more  than  four  years.  Among  these  Spanish  rulers 
there  would  occasionally  be  found  one  of  benevolent  dis 
position  and  liberal  ideas.  But  it  must  be  conceded  that 
in  the  main,  the  Spanish  rule  in  New  Spain  was  one  of 
iron  despotism,  in  which  priest  and  soldier  bore  an  equal 
part,  until  several  millions  of  human  beings,  the  constitu- 


148 

tional  elements  of  whose  character  were  gentleness  and 
docility,  rose  against  their  oppressors  with  the  determi 
nation  of  driving  them  from  the  land. 

An  obscure  native  cure,  of  the  Indian  village  of  Dolo 
res,  in  the  province  of  Guanajuata,  named  Miguel  Hi 
dalgo,  headed  the  first  Mexican  revolution,  which  broke 
out  in  1810.  Under  the  cry  of  "Death  to  the  Gachupins" 
(Spaniards;,  and  the  belief  that  their  religion  was  en 
dangered  by  the  French  (Joseph  Bonaparte  being  then 
on  the  Castilian  throne),  the  natives  rallied  under  Hidal 
go,  and  for  a  season  waged  a  sanguinary  and  successful 
conflict  against  Spaniard  and  Creole.  The  revolution 
ary  priest  was  finally  captured  and  shot,  July  2*7,  1811. 
A  guerilla  warfare  followed,  which  in  1812  came  to  a 
head  under  Morelos,  another  native  cure,  who,  aided  by 
Matamoras,  one  of  the  same  class,  followed  in  the  foot 
steps  of  Hidalgo,  and  continued  the  contest  against  the 
loyalists  until  November,  1815,  when  this  really  great 
chief  was  betrayed  into  the  hands  of  the  Spanish  gen 
eral  Concha,  at  Tesmaluco,  province  of  Puebla.  Mo 
relos  was  sent  to  the  capital,  tried,  and  condemned  to 
be  shot.  He  was  taken  to  the  Hospital  of  San  Cristo 
bal  for  execution,  December  22,  1815.  After  dining, 
he  bound  the  handkerchief  around  his  head,  kneeled,  and 
ejaculating,  u  Lord,  if  I  have  done  well  thou  knowest  it," 
gave  the  fatal  signal  to  his  executioners,  and  thus  calmly 
and  heroically  the  soldier-priest  met  his  fate. 

Matamoras  had  previously  been  taken  prisoner  and 
shot  by  Iturbide,  who  here  made  his  first  appearance  on 
the  stage,  a  zealous  loyalist. 

The  death  of  Morelos  did  not  subdue  the  spirit  of 
revolution.  Rebel  chiefs  appeared  at  various  points. 
Among  them  was  that  indomitable  and  daring  patriot, 


149 

Guadalupe  Victoria,  of  whom  mention  was  first  made  as 
a  soldier  under  Morelos.  Xavier  Mina  appeared  as  a 
revolutionary  leader  in  April,  1817,  and  at  the  head  of  a 
brave  band,  principally  North  Americans,  met  with  so 
much  success,  as  to  bring  against  him  the  combined 
efforts  of  the  loyalist  forces.  Mina  was  betrayed  by  a 
friar,  taken  prisoner,  and  shot,  by  order  of  Viceroy  Apo- 
daca,  in  November,  1817. 

From  1810  to  1821  a  sanguinary  and  cruel  war  was 
waged  throughout  Mexico.  It  commenced  a  war  of 
castes,  the  native  against  the  Spaniard.  Up  to  this 
period,  Spain  had  rigidly  adhered  to  the  policy  of  placing 
all  civil  power  in  the  hands  of  native  Spaniards.  No  one 
born  in  Mexico  was  allowed  to  participate  in  the  admin 
istration  of  the  government  of  the  coiintry  in  the  slight 
est  degree.  The  Gachupins  were  the  kings  arid  nobles 
of  the  land.  The  Creoles  even,  descendants  of  the 
Spaniards,  members  of  their  own  families,  were,  under 
the  universal  system  of  degradation,  made  to  feel  an  in 
feriority  of  birth  and  the  iron  heel  of  the  oppressor.  But 
at  the  commencement  of  the  revolution  under  Hidalgo, 
the  Creoles  were  found  fighting  side  by  side  with  the 
Spaniards.  The  spirit  of  liberty,  however,  became  in 
fectious,  and  by  degrees  this  intermediate  class  went 
over  to  the  insurgents,  and  joined  them  in  their  efforts  to 
conquer  the  common  enemy.  This,  with  the  operation 
of  the  constitution  given  to  Mexico  by  the  consent  of  the 
Cortes  of  Spain,  in  1812,  which  pretended  to  relieve  the 
people  of  their  grievances,  and  did  in  reality  curtail  the 
power  of  the  viceroy,  so  alarmed  Apodaca,  the  incum 
bent  of  that  office  in  1821,  that  he  resolved  to  restore  the 
absolute  power  of  Spain,  and  to  this  end  proposed  to 
Iturbide,  a  Creole  of  elegant  person  and  polished  man- 


150 

ners,  to  head  the  loyalist  army  then  on  the  west  coast, 
and  proclaim  the  restoration  of  the  absolute  authority  of 
the  King  of  Spain  over  Mexico. 

Iturbide  assumed  the  leadership  of  the  army,  but, 
under  the  influence  of  the  clergy,  who  were  beginning  to 
fear  that  the  Cortes  of  Spain  would  encroach  upon  their 
enormous  property  and  revenues,  the  Creole  leader,  in 
stead  of  proclaiming  anew  the  power  of  Spain,  brought 
forth,  in  February,  1821,  that  famous  document  known 
as  the  '''Plan  of  Iguala"  the  first  article  of  which  declared 
as  follows  :  "  The  Mexican  nation  is  independent  of  the 
Spanish  nation,  and  of  every  other,  even  on  its  own  con 
tinent'''  By  this  act,  Mexico  virtually  became  indepen 
dent  of  Spain. 

Iturbide  assumed  imperial  power  in  1822,  under  the 
title  of  Augustin  the  First.  His  reign  was  brief.  The 
following  November,  General  Garza  headed  a  revolt  in 
the  north,  and  Santa  Anna,  who  was  then  Governor  of 
Vera  Cruz,  first  made  himself  prominent,  by  pronouncing 
against  Iturbide.  The  Emperor  Iturbide  abdicated  arid 
fled  from  the  country,  and  on  attempting  to  return,  July 
1824,  he  was  captured  and  shot. 

The  congress  of  the  country  had  annulled  the  acts  of 
the  emperor,  April  8th,  1823,  and  in  October,  1824,  the 
republican  constitution  was  published. 

In  consequence  of  this  constitution,  General  Victoria 
became  the  first  President  of  Mexico  on  the  10th  of  the 
same  month  and  year,  and  remained  in  power  until  April 
1st,  1829.  During  this  period  three  pronunciamentos 
took  place.  The  first  in  1824,  when  a  general  of  the 
name  of  Lobato  attempted  a  revolution  against  the 
Spaniards  employed  by  the  government.  Second,  in 
1827,  when  General  Monfano  headed  a  revolution  against 


151 

the  Freemason  Societies  and  Mr.  Poinsett,  United  States 
minister  in  Mexico  at  that  time.  Both  these,  however, 
were  put  down  by  the  government.  Third,  in  1828,  a  more 
important  pronunciamento  took  place  in  Jalapa,  and  con 
tinued  at;  Perote  and  Oajaca.  At  the  same  time,  another 
broke  out  in  the  city  of  Mexico.  This  proved  disastrous; 
and  is  known  by  the  appellation  of  Acordada.  On  the 
1st  April,  1829,  General  Guerrero  became  President,  but 
retired  from  government  on  the  18th  December  of  the 
same  }^ear,  in  order  to  take  command  of  the  army,  and 
march  against  General  Bustamente,  who  had  taken  up 
arms  against  the  liberal  party,  to  which  Guerrero  be 
longed.  From  the  18th  of  December  to  the  31st  of  the 
same  month,  the  government  was  provisionally  in  the 
hands  of  Senores  Bocanegra,  Velez,  Quintanas  and  Ala- 
man,  at  which  date  General  Bustamente,  as  Vice-Pres 
ident,  took  possession  of  the  government,  which  he  held 
till  the  14th  of  August,  1832,  when  he  was  obliged  to 
take  command  of  the  army,  as  General  Vasquez,  and 
other  officers  at  Vera  Cruz  had  pronounced  against  him. 
From  August  to  December,  1832,  the  government  was 
in  the  hands  of  a  president  interino,  General  Muzquez, 
and  passed  on  the  24th  December,  1832,  into  the  hands 
of  the  constitutional  president,  General  Gomez  Pedraza, 
who  retired,  however,  on  the  1st  April,  1833,  when  the 
vice-president,  D.  V.  Gomez  Ferias,  took  his  place. 

During  that  time  the  revolution  had  gained  ground,  and 
General  Santa  Anna  was  named  constitutional  president 
on  the  17th  June,  1833.  He  took  the  reins  of  power, 
but  being  obliged  to  head  the  army  in  order  to  attack 
Texas,  January,  1835,  he  left  the  government  during 
his  absence  in  the  hands  of  two  vice-presidents,  first  to 
Senor  Ferias,  and  then  to  General  Barrigan.  General 


152 

Barrigan  having  died  in  March,  1836,  Senor  Corro  be 
came  president  interino,  governing  until  April,  1837,  when 
General  Bustamente  again  took  possession  of  the  gov 
ernment,  heirig  named  president,  in  conformity  with  the 
new  constitution  of  the  republic,  by  which  the  central 
system  was  adopted,  which  had  been  sanctioned  and 
published  on  the  1st  January,  1837.  General  Busta 
mente  remained  in  power  until  September,  1841,  with 
the  exception  of  a  few  months  in  1839,  in  which  year 
General  Santa  Anna  was  intrusted  with  the  government 
for  three  months,  and  General  Bravo  for  eight  days.  In 
September,  1841,  General  Bustamente  retired  to  Europe, 
leaving  Senor  D.  Javier  Echeverria  at  the  head  of  the 
government  until  10th  October,  1841,  when  General 
Santa  Anna  again  became  president,  with  almost  un 
limited  power,  by  an  arrangement  known  under  the 
name  of  "  Bases  agreed  to  in  Tacubaya."  This  discre 
tional  power  of  dictatorship  ceased  by  the  publication  of 
a  new  constitution  of  the  country  on  the  12th  June,  1843. 
General  Santa  Anna  was  then  named  constitutional  pres 
ident,  and  remained  in  power  until  the  6th  December, 
1844.  During  these  four  years  he  was  three  times  ab 
sent  from  the  capital,  and  the  government  was,  during 
this  period,  intrusted  by  him  to  General  Bravo  and  Gen 
eral  Canalizo.  From  December,  1844,  to  the  end  of 
December,  1845,  General  Herrera  was  president ;  from 
December,  1845,  to  July,  1846,  General  Paredes,  and 
from  July  to  August  1846,  General  Bravo  occupied  ^the 
place  of  General  Paredes,  who,  in  his  turn,  had  to  give 
way  in  August  to  General  Salas,  who  remained  in  power 
till  December,  1846,  after  having  re-established  the  fed 
eral  system  on  the  constitution  of  1824,  by  his  decree  of 
22d  August,  1846.  Senor  Gomez  Ferias  then  occupied 


153 

the  position  of  vice-president  from  December,  1846,  till 
March,  1847.  During  this  time  General  Santa  Anna 
was  named  president.  He  assumed  power  on  the  2lst 
March,  1847,  but  left  the  government  to  General  Anaya, 
in  order  to  take  command  of  the  army  in  the  field  against 
the  troops  of  the  United  States.  On  his  return  to  the 
capital  in  May,  1847,  he  again  took  the  government  into 
his  hands,  and  remained  in  power  until  September,  1849, 
when  the  capital  was  taken  by  the  Americans. 

From  this  time  the  government  retired  to  Queretaro, 
and  Seiior  Pena  y  Pena  at  one  time,  arid  General  Anaya 
at  another,  were  at  the  head  of  it  till  after  the  peace, 
when  General  Herrera  again  took  possession  of  the 
government  on  the  3d  of  June,  1848.  He  retired  in  Janu 
ary,  1851,  when  General  Arista  became  president,  but 
in  consequence  of  the  plan  of  Guadalajara,  retired  in 
January,  1853.  Senor  Ceballos  and  General  Lombar- 
dini,  entered  as  presidents  for  a  short  time,  until  General 
Santa  Anna,  already  elected  president,  had  arrived 
from  Turbaco,  in  Carthagena.  His  arrival  took  place  in 
Vera  Cruz,  April,  1 853,  and  shortly  afterward  he  entered 
the  capital  and  left  again  on  the  llth  of  August,  1855, 
for  Vera  Cruz,  to  embark.  General  Romulo  Diaz  de  la 
Vega  took  charge  of  the  capital  as  chief  of  the  district.  On 
the  15th  of  August,  four  days  after  the  departure  of  Santa 
Anna,  Don  Martin  Carrera,  one  of  the  most  patriotic  and 
distinguished  generals,  was  elected  president  interino 
of  the  republic,  by  a  junta  at  the  capital,  but  his  election 
not  being  sustained  by  the  civil  or  military  voice  of  the 
states,  he  abdicated  on  the  12th  of  September,  after 
holding  position  one  month.  General  La  Vega  con 
tinued  to  govern,  according  to  the  plan  of  Ayutla,  from 

'the    1 2th  of  September  until  the  4th  of  October,  when 

20 


154 

General  Alverez  established  his  government  at  Cuer- 
navaca,  and  was  recognized  by  the  representatives  of 
foreign  powers.  He  came  to  the  city  of  Mexico  and 
remained  till  the  llth  December,  1855,  when  he  volun 
tarily  retired,  leaving  the  government  in  the  hands  of 
General  Ignacio  Comonfort.  Comonfort  remained  in 
office  from  the  llth  December,  1855,  to  the  21st  January, 
1858,  two  years,  one  month,  and  ten  days,  when  he  fled 
the  country.  Felix  Zuluaga,  under  a  plan  of  Tacubaya, 
proclaimed  by  a  body  of  soldiers,  usurped  the  presidential 
chair  at  the  capital,  and  Don  Benito  Juarez,  the  constitu 
tional  President,  by  virtue  of  his  office  as  Chief  Justice  of 
the  Supreme  Court,  was  obliged  to  fly  for  his  life.  After 
taking  the  circuit  of  the  country,  President  Juarez  finally 
arrived  at  Vera  Cruz,  via  New  Orleans,  in  the  summer  of 
1858,  and  gathering  around  him  a  cabinet,  demanded  the 
allegiance  of  the  various  states.  This  was  immediately 
granted  by  all,  except  two  or  three  of  the  central  states 
and  the  capital,  which,  being  in  the  immediate  possession 
of  the  army  of  the  church,  were  forced  to  submit  to  the 
rule  of  a  faction  headed  at  the  present  moment  by  Miguel 
Miramon,  who  deposed  Zuluaga  in  November,  1858,  and 
subsequently,  General  Robles  Pezuela,  who  held  power 
but  two  days. 

The  independence  of  Mexico  dates  from  February, 
1821,  since  which  period  to  the  present  time,  a  space  of 
thirty-eight  years,  the  country  has  had  thirty-six  different 
forms  of  government,  and  seventy-two  individuals  have 
figured  as  chief  executives  of  the  nation  under  imperial 
and  every  variety  of  republican  titles. 

By  reason  of  our  limited  space,  we  cannot  give  a  spe 
cific  exposition  of  the  principle  for  which  the  two  parties 
are  contending  in  Mexico,  or  relate  the  events  attending 


155 

the  bloody  and  disgraceful  struggle  that  has  occupied  the 
nation  for  the  past  thirty-eight  years.  For  the  last  two 
years,  two  distinct  governments  have  been  in  operation 
in  the  republic  of  Mexico,  and  during  this  period,  the  true 
principles  of  the  controversy,  the  real  condition  of  the 
country  and  its  actual  wants,  have  been  brought  out  more 
distinctly  before  the  world  than  ever  before,  and  more  es 
pecially  since  the  recognition  of  Don  Benito  Juarez,  the 
constitutional  and  liberal  president,  in  April,  1859,  by  the 
United  States  minister,  Mr.  McLane.  The  present  rev 
olution  is  the  only  one  that  in  reality  has  struck  at  the 
root  of  the  evil. 

The  New  York  Herald,  in  a  recent  editorial  relative  to 
the  struggle  in  Mexico,  after  stating  how  few  of  the 
states  in  comparison  with  the  whole,  acknowledge  the 
church  faction,  makes  the  following  very  just  remarks  : 

"  Why  has  not  the  great  majority  of  the  nation  pre 
vailed  against  the  minority  ?"  The  answer  is  :  "  The 
clergy  are  richer  than  the  nation.  While  the  best 
national  securities,  unguaranteed  by  foreign  treaties,  are 
selling  for  from  three  to  eight  per  cent,  the  clergy  can 
borrow  on  their  paper  at  the  rate  of  ninety  to  ninety -five 
per  cent.  The  clergy  are  therefore  more  powerful  than 
the  nation,  and  they  have  made  use  of  their  moneyed 
power  to  bribe  the  army  of  the  country.  With  this  and 
a  liberal  use  of  money  in  other  quarters,  they  have  been 
able  to  hold  their  own  in  a  few  of  the  central  walled  cities, 
and  by  means  of  shrewd  secret  agents  in  foreign  countries, 
have  managed  to  blind  the  eyes  of  those  governments 
holding  relations  with  Mexico.  They  have  been  materi 
ally  aided  in  this  last  work  by  the  criminal  stupidity  or 
knavery  of  resident  foreign  ministers  in  Mexico,  who  have 
allowed  themselves  to  be  made  their  ready  tools.  It  was 


156 

perhaps  all  for  the  best  that  the  clergy  should  have  had 
power  sufficient  to  defeat  the  popular  will  and  plunge  the 
country  into  anarchy  ;  that  foreign  ministers  should  have 
taken  notice  of  knaves  or  fools — in  fact,  that  all  possible 
calamities  should  have  been  heaped  upon  the  country  at 
once.  The  circumstance  has  brought  Mexico  into  a 
crisis  from  which  she  can  hardly  escape  without  level 
ing  all  the  destroying  evils  which  have  obtained  such 
mammoth  growth  in  this  rich  and  most  beautiful  portion 
of  America.  The  civil  war  in  Mexico  has  already  illus 
trated  to  the  world  how  vicious  and  demoralized  are 
the  clergy,  and  how  entirely  wanting  is  the  country  in 
enlightened  leading  men.  This  war  has  demonstrated 
the  absolute  necessity  for  a  large  infusion  into  Mexico 
of  liberal,  progressive  ideas,  based  upon  reason  and  the 
spirit  of  peaceful  compromise.  It  has  aroused  foreign 
governments  to  the  necessity  of  sending  them  enlight 
ened  men  to  attend  to  their  affairs.  The  United  States 
have  taken  the  lead,  and  England  has  followed  the 
example,  by  recalling  a  man  who  certainly  has  done 
nothing  for  his  future  position,  nor  any  good  to  the 
country  he  represented,  except  it  may  be  in  giving  her 
a  very  expensive  lesson.  A  question  may  yet  be  enter 
tained  as  to  what  France  will  do.  It  is  barely  possible 
that  that  power  may  entertain  the  idea  of  finally  com 
promising  the  Mexican  question  in  the  same  manner  the 
Italian  question  has  been  arranged — by  securing  the 
supremacy  of  the  Church  of  Rome  over  the  country. 
But  the  schemes  of  France  cannot  prevail  in  Mexico,  if 
the  United  States  and  England  are  united,  and  adopt  a 
decisive  policy  with  regard  to  it  for  the  purpose  of  ending 
the  present  anarchy  and  securing  peace  to  the  country. 
The  following  is  a  synopsis  of  the  platform  of  the 


157 

constitutional  government  of  Mexico,  acknowledged  and 
supported  by  the  liberal  party. 

First.  The  establishment  of  a  constitutional  federal 
government  in  the  place  of  a  military  dictatorship. 

Second.  Freedom  of  religion. 

Third.  Freedom  of  the  press. 

Fourth.  The  nationalization  of  the  $200,000,000  of 
property  held  by  the  clergy,  from  which,  and  other 
sources,  the  Church  derives  an  annual  income  of  not  less 
than  $20,000,000. 

Fifth.  The  subordination  of  the  army  to  the  civil 
power,  and  the  abolition  of  military  and  ecclesiastical 
fueros,  or  special  tribunals. 

Sixth.  A  reduction  of  the  tariff,  the  stoppage  of  the  sys 
tem  of  exceptional  permits,  and  the  entire  abolition  of  al- 
cavala  or  interior  duties  ;  also,  the  abolition  of  passports. 

Seventh.  The  negotiation  of  commercial  treaties  of  the 
fullest  scope  and  liberal  character,  particularly  with  the 
United  States,  and  including  reciprocity  of  trade  on  our 
frontiers. 

Eighth.  The  colonization  of  Mexico  by  the  full  open 
ing  of  every  part  of  the  country  to  immigration,  and  the 
encouragement  of  foreign  enterprise  in  every  branch  of 
industry,   particularly  in   mining  and   in   works  of  in 
ternal  improvement. 

In  contradistinction  and  opposition  to  the  principles  and 
purposes  of  the  liberal,  progressive  constitutional  govern 
ment,  we  have  the  following  as  a  synopsis  of  the  Plan 
of  Tacubaya,  upon  which  the  government  of  Miramon 
in  the  city  of  Mexico,  supported  by  the  clergy,  is  based. 

First.  The  inviolability  of  all  church  property  and 
church  revenues,  and  the  re-establishment  of  former 
exactions. 


158 

Second.  The  re-establishment  of  the  fueros,  or  special 
rights  of  the  church  and  of  the  army..  Under  these 
fueros,  the  military  and  the  clergy  are  responsible  only 
to  their  own  tribunals. 

Third.  The  restoration  of  the  Roman  Catholic  religion 
as  the  sole  and  exclusive  religion  of  Mexico. 

Fourth.  The  censorship  of  the  press. 

Fifth.  The  maintenance  of  a  high  tariff,  the  restora 
tion  of  the  oppressive  system  of  alcavala,  or  interior 
duties,  and  the  continuance  of  special  monopolies. 

Sixtli.  The  exclusive  system  with  regard  to  foreign 
immigration,  confining  it  solely  to  immigrants  from 
Catholic  countries. 

Seventh.  The  overthrow  of  the  constitution  of  1857, 
and  the  establishment  of  an  irresponsible  central  dicta 
torship,  subservient  solely  to  the  church. 

Eighth.  If  possible,  the  restoration  of  a  monarchy 
in  Mexico,  or  the  establishment  of  a  European  Protec 
torate. 

This  is  a  true  exposition  of  the  principles  of  the  two 
parties  now  contending  for  the  mastery  in  Mexico. 

In  speaking  of  the  Mexican  church,  its  bigotry  and 
despotism,  we  would  not  be  understood  as  making  war 
on  the  true  Catholic  faith,  or  the  church  of  Rome  as  it, 
exists  in  the  United  States.  It  is  the  perversion  of  its 
name  and  power  to  base  purposes  which  we  so  much 
deprecate  in  Mexico. 

The  question  before  the  people  of  the  United  States 
is,  whether  they  will  suffer  to  be  established  on  their 
own  southern  borders,  a  monarchy  like  that  of  Old  Spain 
in  the  sixteenth  century,  or  whether  they  will  give  their 
cordial  and  united  support  to  the  liberals  in  their  efforts 
to  redeem  Mexico  from  the  church  and  military  despot- 


159 

ism  which  has  for  ages  drenched  her  fair  fields  in  blood, 
demoralized  her  people,  and  finally  made  the  nation  a 
hissing  and  a  byword  all  over  the  earth. 

There  is  no  way  left  by  which  the  United  States  can 
safely  and  profitably  build  up  trade  and  commerce  with 
Mexico,  except  through  the  liberal  party.  A  liberal 
treaty  once  concluded,  and  a  good  understanding  estab 
lished  between  the  two  nations,  we  shall  find  in  Mexico 
a  magnificent  field  for  our  enterprise,  industry  and  capi 
tal.  The  principles  of  liberty  will  be  there  developed 
under  our  fostering  care,  and  that  down-trodden  people 
will  eventually  rise  up  our  faithful  friend  and  ally.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  success  of  the  church  or  monarchical 
party  will  seriously  compromise  the  well-being  of  the 
United  States;  for  in  case  the  faction  now  represented 
by  Miramon  obtains  control  of  the  republic,  a  policy  will 
be  inaugurated  which  must  bring  us  into  hostile  collision, 
not  only  with  Mexico,  but  with  one  or  more  of  the 
European  powers. 

In  view  of  the  immense  importance  to  our  country 
that  attends  the  safe  and  speedy  solution  of  the  Mexican 
question,  the  projector  of  the  "  United  States  and  Mexican 
Mail  Steamship  Line  "  has  been  induced  to  do  more  than 
simply  record  such  figures  and  facts  as  have  a  direct 
bearing  upon  his  enterprise  ;  he  has  given,  in  addition,  a 
mass  of  matter  which  he  conceives  will  be  interesting  to 
the  reading  public  in  the  present  condition  of  our  rela 
tions  with  Mexico.  This  is  done  with  the  hope  that  the 
public  mind  will,  in  some  degree,  become  impressed  with 
the  importance  of  inaugurating  a  new  commercial  policy 
with  the  India  south  of  us,  the  first  step  towards  which 
is,  THE  CALLING  INTO  EXISTENCE  OF  UNITED  STATES 
MAIL  STEAMSHIPS. 


m 


IOAN  DEPT 


'u  nrr  l  6 'TO    $ 

subject  to  recall  alter  - 


APR   41987 


(N8837slO)4 


U.C.  BERKELEY  LIBRARIES 


